BACKGROUND: In Germany the heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) has been recommended as a general infant vaccination since 2006. Data from similar programmes in the USA have reported a reduction of pneumococcal diseases in both vaccinated and unvaccinated populations, suggesting herd immunity effects. This study analyses the cost-effectiveness of a general vaccination with PCV7 in Germany based on these findings. METHODS: A Markov model adapts efficacy and herd immunity data to the German population. Further main model inputs are incidence, vaccination uptake, serotype distribution, case fatality rates, and vaccination and health-care costs. RESULTS: A general vaccination with PCV7 would avoid about 232,000 pneumococcal infections and 1,879 premature deaths per year in Germany. From the health-care payer's perspective, direct cost savings would outweigh vaccination expenditures by a ratio of 1:1.16. The sensitivity analysis shows that these estimates are quite conservative. CONCLUSION: Based on the health-economic evaluation, the authors recommend the continuation of the general recommendation of PCV7 according to the 3 + 1 schedule within the German Statutory Health Insurance.
BACKGROUND: In Germany the heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) has been recommended as a general infant vaccination since 2006. Data from similar programmes in the USA have reported a reduction of pneumococcal diseases in both vaccinated and unvaccinated populations, suggesting herd immunity effects. This study analyses the cost-effectiveness of a general vaccination with PCV7 in Germany based on these findings. METHODS: A Markov model adapts efficacy and herd immunity data to the German population. Further main model inputs are incidence, vaccination uptake, serotype distribution, case fatality rates, and vaccination and health-care costs. RESULTS: A general vaccination with PCV7 would avoid about 232,000 pneumococcal infections and 1,879 premature deaths per year in Germany. From the health-care payer's perspective, direct cost savings would outweigh vaccination expenditures by a ratio of 1:1.16. The sensitivity analysis shows that these estimates are quite conservative. CONCLUSION: Based on the health-economic evaluation, the authors recommend the continuation of the general recommendation of PCV7 according to the 3 + 1 schedule within the German Statutory Health Insurance.
Authors: I Lenoir-Wijnkoop; M Dapoigny; D Dubois; E van Ganse; I Gutiérrez-Ibarluzea; J Hutton; P Jones; T Mittendorf; M J Poley; S Salminen; M J C Nuijten Journal: Br J Nutr Date: 2010-08-27 Impact factor: 3.718
Authors: Nathorn Chaiyakunapruk; Ratchadaporn Somkrua; Raymond Hutubessy; Ana Maria Henao; Joachim Hombach; Alessia Melegaro; John W Edmunds; Philippe Beutels Journal: BMC Med Date: 2011-05-12 Impact factor: 8.775
Authors: Richard Pitman; David Fisman; Gregory S Zaric; Maarten Postma; Mirjam Kretzschmar; John Edmunds; Marc Brisson Journal: Value Health Date: 2012 Sep-Oct Impact factor: 5.725
Authors: Catherine Weil-Olivier; Mark van der Linden; Iris de Schutter; Ron Dagan; Lorenzo Mantovani Journal: BMC Infect Dis Date: 2012-09-07 Impact factor: 3.090