Skip to main content

European Forum for Vaccine Vigilance
We Stand for Freedom of Choice In Vaccination For All Europeans

Slovenia

EFVV organisations in Slovenia:

Other pro-choice organisations:

/

Vaccination policy

According to the rules establishing a program of “vaccination and protection with drugs” for 2015 (Official Gazette of RS, no. 40/15) in Slovenia there are 9 (nine) mandatory vaccines plus more vaccines for some workers:

  1. diphtheria (from 3 months of age on, 5 doses)
  2. haemophilus influenzae tybe B (from 3 months of age on, 4 doses)
  3. hepatitis B (from 5 years of age to 6, 3 doses)
  4. measles (at 12 months and 5-6 years of age, 2 doses)
  5. mumps (at 12 months and 5-6 years of age, 2 doses)
  6. pertussis (from 3 months of age on, 5 doses)
  7. poliomyelitis (from 3 months of age on, 4 doses)
  8. rubella (at 12 months and 5-6 years of age, 2 doses)
  9. tetanus (from 3 months of age on, 6 doses)

Two more vaccines are recommended:

  • pneumococcus (from 3 months of age on, 3 doses)
  • human papilloma virus (HPV) (at 11-12 years old, 1 dose, girls only)

Vaccination and protection with drugs against certain contagious diseases is carried out depending on the relevant Assessment of Safety and Risk statement for employees exposed to infectious diseases at work and in work situations where employees could transfer infection to other.

Under current Slovenian vaccination law the following fines are applicable:

  • under the Infectious Diseases Law (ZNB), fines for refusing vaccination range from eur 41 to eur 417 per parent, per child;
  • under the Inspection Act (ZIN) there is a eur 500 fine for non-compliance with the inspector”s orders as part of the mandatory vaccination programme;
  • under the Administrative Procedure Act (GAPA), there is a eur 200 fine for failure to respond within specific time limits to invitations by health inspectors and for unjustifiable absence.

Doctors are required to check the person being vaccinated and his/her medical records to identify any potential risk of permanent deterioration in the person’s health as this could constitute a reason to suspend the vaccination.
The following are considered potential reasons for a vaccine exemption:

  • allergies to vaccine ingredients;
  • serious adverse events after a previous dose of the same vaccine;
  • illness or a medical condition deemed to be incompatible with the vaccine.

An acute disease or a febrile condition is not considered to be a reason for a vaccine exemption under this Act. In such cases, vaccination is only postponed. If the doctor administering the vaccination finds reasons for a vaccine exemption as per the first paragraph of this Article, he should file an application for an exemption, and this should be technically justified and explained. All health records of the aforementioned person must be included in the application for a vaccination exemption.
An application for a vaccination exemption may be filed by the physician administering the vaccination, the recipient of the vaccination, the parents or the guardians of the recipient.
All applications for vaccination exemptions must be sent to the Ministry of Health.
The Commission considering applications for suspension of vaccination may request additional documentation or further medical examinations, if necessary.After completion of the process and within 90 days from receipt of the vaccination suspension application, the Commission hands down its expert opinion on whether or not there are grounds for suspension of vaccination, and sends it to the Health Minister.

Right to compensation

Any person whose health is damaged by compulsory vaccination, as evidenced by serious and lasting reduction of vital functions, shall be entitled to compensation.
If the aforementioned person dies as a result of compulsory vaccination, his or her spouse or partner with whom he or she lived in a consensual union, their children and/or parents are entitled to compensation.
Damage in this context does not include damage caused by incorrect administration of the vaccine or from the inadequate quality of the vaccine as specified by the Slovenian regulations governing medicines.
When damage to a person’s health or death of said person is caused by improper handling of the vaccine by medical personnel or by inadequate quality of the vaccine, proceedings should be filed in the civil courts against the manufacturer of the vaccine.
The amount of the compensation is still specified in tolars (previous Slovenian currency); the amount in euros (15 million tolars is approximately 60.000 euros) is therefore not clear.
As of present date, there have only been two cases of compensation awarded in Slovenia: two nurses for damage caused by the Hep B vaccine.

School

Unvaccinated children in Slovenia: currently kindergartens and schools cannot legally demand that children be vaccinated. Doctors are however obliged to sign a health certificate stating that the child is fit for school or specifying if s/he has any allergies but vaccination status is considered to be private.

Adverse event following immunisation public reporting system

Those who practise and believe in allopathic medicine do not like to talk about side effects of vaccines. They are usually reluctant to record them or to investigate further. Paediatricians usually assure parents that the vaccine they will administer has no serious side effects, which of course is far from the truth. The package insert is not given to parents unless they ask for it (very rare). Even then they usually try to hand out the short version on a leaflet and not the original package insert. When side effects do occur, doctors usually dismiss them as coincidence and rarely report them. Reporting is only available to doctors or medical institutions, not to individuals or patients.