Abstract
A Markov model of hepatitis B virus (HBV) disease progression in the UK estimated that 81% of predicted HBV-associated morbidity and mortality could be prevented by universal infant vaccination at a cost of approximately £260,000 per QALY gained.Universal adolescent vaccination would be less effective (45% prevented) and less cost-effective (£493,000 per QALY gained). Higher HBV incidence rates in males and intermediate/high risk ethnic populations meant it was approximately 3 times more cost-effective to vaccinate these groups. At current vaccine costs a selective infant vaccination programme, based on vaccinating intermediate/high risk ethnic populations would not be considered cost effective.The threshold cost per vaccinated child at which the programme would be considered cost-effective was investigated. Universal infant vaccination would be cost-effective if the average cost of vaccinating each child against HBV, including vaccine and administration costs of all doses, was less than £4.09. Given the low cost of vaccination required to make a universal programme cost-effective the most feasible policy in the UK would be to use a suitably priced combined vaccine that included the other antigens in the current infant vaccination schedule.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 466-475 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Vaccine |
Volume | 29 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 10 Jan 2011 |
Keywords
- Cost-effectiveness
- Hepatitis B
- Vaccination