TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessing the potential effects and cost-effectiveness of programmatic herpes zoster vaccination of elderly in the Netherlands
AU - Van Lier, Alies
AU - Van Hoek, Albert Jan
AU - Opstelten, Wim
AU - Boot, Hein J.
AU - De Melker, Hester E.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - Background. Herpes zoster (HZ) is a painful disease affecting a considerable part of the elderly. Programmatic HZ vaccination of elderly people may considerably reduce HZ morbidity and its related costs, but the extent of these effects is unknown. In this article, the potential effects and cost-effectiveness of programmatic HZ vaccination of elderly in the Netherlands have been assessed according to a framework that was developed to support evidence-based decision making regarding inclusion of new vaccines in the Dutch National Immunization Program. Methods. An analytical framework was used combining a checklist, which structured relevant data on the vaccine, pathogen and disease, and a cost-effectiveness analysis. The cost-effectiveness analysis was performed from a societal perspective, using a Markov-cohort-model. Simultaneous vaccination with influenza was assumed. Results. Due to the combination of waning immunity after vaccination and a reduced efficacy of vaccination at high ages, the most optimal cost-effectiveness ratio (21716 per QALY) for HZ vaccination in the Netherlands was found for 70-year olds. This estimated ratio is just above the socially accepted threshold in the Netherlands of 20000 per QALY. If additional reduction of postherpetic neuralgia was included, the cost-effectiveness ratio improved (∼10000 per QALY) but uncertainty for this scenario is high. Conclusions. Vaccination against HZ at the age of 70 years seems marginally cost-effective in the Netherlands. Due to limited vaccine efficacy a considerable part of the disease burden caused by HZ will remain, even with optimal acceptance of programmatic vaccination.
AB - Background. Herpes zoster (HZ) is a painful disease affecting a considerable part of the elderly. Programmatic HZ vaccination of elderly people may considerably reduce HZ morbidity and its related costs, but the extent of these effects is unknown. In this article, the potential effects and cost-effectiveness of programmatic HZ vaccination of elderly in the Netherlands have been assessed according to a framework that was developed to support evidence-based decision making regarding inclusion of new vaccines in the Dutch National Immunization Program. Methods. An analytical framework was used combining a checklist, which structured relevant data on the vaccine, pathogen and disease, and a cost-effectiveness analysis. The cost-effectiveness analysis was performed from a societal perspective, using a Markov-cohort-model. Simultaneous vaccination with influenza was assumed. Results. Due to the combination of waning immunity after vaccination and a reduced efficacy of vaccination at high ages, the most optimal cost-effectiveness ratio (21716 per QALY) for HZ vaccination in the Netherlands was found for 70-year olds. This estimated ratio is just above the socially accepted threshold in the Netherlands of 20000 per QALY. If additional reduction of postherpetic neuralgia was included, the cost-effectiveness ratio improved (∼10000 per QALY) but uncertainty for this scenario is high. Conclusions. Vaccination against HZ at the age of 70 years seems marginally cost-effective in the Netherlands. Due to limited vaccine efficacy a considerable part of the disease burden caused by HZ will remain, even with optimal acceptance of programmatic vaccination.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77955490416&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/1472-6963-10-237
DO - 10.1186/1472-6963-10-237
M3 - Article
C2 - 20707884
AN - SCOPUS:77955490416
SN - 1472-6963
VL - 10
JO - BMC Health Services Research
JF - BMC Health Services Research
M1 - 237
ER -