Most European countries avoid patients with severe mental illness in COVID vaccination strategy

A study by major mental health and mental health patient groups shows that only 4 out of 20 European countries prioritize COVID vaccines for people with severe mental disorders (such as mental and mood disorders), despite a wealth of scientific evidence showing that these patients are among the highest at risk. This is published today in the peer-reviewed journal Lancet Psychology.

The paper’s authors, and Europe’s leading mental health agencies, call on the European Union, as well as national health authorities, to take steps together to protect these vulnerable patients.

The authors reviewed official publicly available vaccine plans and contacted clinicians in 20 European countries to test national vaccine policies. They found that only the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and the UK recognize severe mental illness as a high-risk health condition worthy of early vaccination. Interestingly, most countries surveyed do not mention mental health in their vaccine priority guidelines (see map and table) Some countries prioritize treatment for them in mental health centers, but most patients with severe mental illness now live and receive treatment in the community, so they are not covered by plans vaccine.

Lead author Dr Livia De Picker (from the Duffel Campus of the University Psychology Hospital, Belgium), said: “Everyone is worried about the mental health problems that come with COVID. But many of those who already have severe mental health problems against these.implications earlier and possibly more dangerous.Research also clearly shows that the risk of serious complications or deaths from COVID is so high if it is higher than those with physical illnesses Recent work shows that if you have a mental disorder your risk for COVID is up 65% (ref 1), and patients with mental illness between 1.5 and 2 times more likely to die (ref2).

Early vaccination is needed to protect them from major or even fatal COVID infection; they must be prioritized in the same way as patients at risk with physical conditions. Most countries give priority to people living in institutions, but this is not good enough. Most people with severe mental health problems now live and receive treatment in the community, these patients are completely ignored in most vaccination plans, and this must change. We are pleased to see that more and more countries are changing their policy to include patients with severe mental illness, but vaccination is happening now, so we cannot delay it “.

Up to 1 in 20 people in Europe will suffer from a serious mental health problem at some point.

The study was initiated by the Subject Working Group ImmunoNeuroPsychiatry at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology; this was inspired by a recent article, on the neuroscientific reasons why people with severe mental illness are at increased risk for COVID disease in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity (ref 3). Following on from this paper, the Lancet Psychology a paper was developed in collaboration with Europe’s leading mental health and clinical organizations.

• European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP)
• European Psychological Association (EPA)
• European Federation of Associations of Families of People with Mental Illness (EUFAMI)
• Global Alliance of Mental Illness Advocacy Networks-Europe (GAMIAN-Europe)
• Department of Psychology European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS-Psychiatry).

These organizations reaffirm the call for the European Union to be at the forefront of setting standards, and for national health and science bodies to ensure that vulnerable mental health patients are given priority in vaccination strategy.

The author and director of the working group, Professor Marion Leboyer (University of Paris Est Créteil, France), said, “Patients with severe mental health problems are once again neglected, despite facing great risks. There is strong evidence of the harm that mental health patients suffer as a result of pandemic, for example, recent work (ref 4) has shown that schizophrenia is second only to death as a result of on COVID Countries often look at what is happening elsewhere when setting vaccine priorities, and with so few countries prioritizing mental health, there is a risk that This will lead to neglect of mental health issues.This is a major problem in Europe, and will continue if no action is taken.So I am therefore pleased that the French scientific advisory committee on direct vaccines ch stated that they will propose a change in the policy for schizophrenia patients “.

ECNP President Professor Gitte Moos Knudsen (Righospitalet, Copenhagen) said: “This work demonstrates an intolerable lack of consideration for mental health patients. If you want to” follow the science “, priority should be given to those patients at risk. Furthermore, as COVID does not respect national borders, we need strategies at a European level to contain the virus “.

Speaking for the mental health patient community, Global Alliance of Mental Illocacy Networks-Europe (GAMIAN-Europe), President Hilkka Kärkkäinen said;

“Society needs to prioritize at-risk groups, but it is encouraging to see that, even during the pandemic, mental health is an afterthought – if there is one – for many countries. The scientific evidence is clear that COVID and the resulting lock – in causes great harm to people with severe mental health problems, but few countries deal with this. This needs to change “.

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Type of work: Peer review / International study / people

The full paper is published online by Lancet Psychology on 17 February 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(21)00046-8

A copy of this paper is available pre-embargo for qualified journalists: contact the press officer (see “Notes for Editors”).

Note: the information in this press release is correct as of 10 February 2021.