Authors' objectives:

This study sought to assess the efficiency of implementing a pneumococcal vaccination program in a pediatric population, by conducting a systematic review of economic valuations which compared the cost-benefit of a vaccination program to a policy of non-vaccination.

Authors' results and conclusions: We selected 24 studies for evaluation of the full text. Of these, 17 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The results displayed wide variability, due mainly to uncertainty as to the disease incidence rate, vaccine efficacy, duration of protection afforded, and long-term effects on the epidemiology of pneumococcal disease. In addition, there were also differences with respect to the decision-analysis model, approach taken, characteristics of the healthcare system, costs included and, fundamentally, the inclusion or non-inclusion of the indirect effects of vaccination on the community.

Authors' recommendations: Economic evaluations of heptavalent pneumococcal vaccine show widely varying results and important differences in the design and inclusion of parameters, which render their comparison and extrapolation to other countries difficult. Yet, despite this uncertainty and heterogeneity, and the possibility of the existence of conflicts of interest, itshould be noted that, when they incorporate community immunity and society's standpoint, most assessments report a favorable cost-effectiveness ratio for pneumococcal vaccination. Nevertheless, there is a need, both for long-term studies to confirm many of the uncertainties outlined in this report, and for enhanced dynamic decision-analysis models to ensure that vaccine economic evaluation studies are more realistic.

Project Status: Completed

URL for project: http://www.sergas.es/docs/Avalia-t/CT2010-03-vac-neumococo.pdf

Year Published: 2010

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Spain

Organisation Name: Scientific Advice Unit, avalia-t; The Galician Health Knowledge Agency (ACIS)

Contact Address: Conselleria de Sanidade, Xunta de Galicia, San Lazaro s/n 15781 Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Tel: 34 981 541831; Fax: 34 981 542854;

Contact Name: avalia-t@sergas.es

Contact Email: avalia-t@sergas.es

Copyright: Galician Agency for Health Technology Assessment (AVALIA-T)