Young June Choe1, Ok Pil Han2, Heeyeon Cho3, Geun-Ryang Bae2, Byung-Chul Chun4, Jong-Hyun Kim5, Kyung-Hyo Kim6, Hoan Jong Lee7, Eun Hwa Choi8. 1. Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Division of Vaccine-Preventable Disease Control and National Immunization Program, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Osong, Republic of Korea. 2. Division of Vaccine-Preventable Disease Control and National Immunization Program, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Osong, Republic of Korea. 3. Division of Vaccine-Preventable Disease Control and National Immunization Program, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Osong, Republic of Korea; Department of Pediatrics, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 4. Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 5. Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 6. Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 7. Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 8. Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: eunchoi@snu.ac.kr.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study was performed to determine the priority of vaccine introduction for five vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), pneumococcus (Spn), hepatitis A virus (HepA), rotavirus (RV), and human papillomavirus (HPV) to the future Korean National Immunization Program (NIP) and to suggest framework programs to assist decision makers on implementation of the NIP. METHODS: Following analysis of the disease burden and economics of the five VPDs by the core team and Korean Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices sub-committee members, a Delphi survey was administered to 94 Korean experts using structured questionnaires that provided the reference data. The two evaluation frameworks for NIP prioritization were (1) a disease-related framework and (2) a vaccine-related framework. After analyzing the responses, a meeting of experts was held to build a consensus for determining how to prioritize NIP implementation. RESULTS: The average scores for relative importance were 63.29 for the disease-related framework and 36.71 for the vaccine-related framework. Within the disease-related framework, the mortality and case fatality rate was the highest scored factor (8.97), whereas within the vaccine-related framework, efficacy of the vaccine was considered the most important factor (9.56). On average, Spn, Hib, and HepA had the highest priority scores. CONCLUSION: The Korean experts suggested that the main factors influencing the decision to adopt new vaccines in the Korean NIP should be disease mortality, case fatality, and the efficacy and effectiveness of the vaccine. Among the five selected VPDs, Spn, Hib, and HepA were considered to be of higher priority than RV and HPV.
BACKGROUND: This study was performed to determine the priority of vaccine introduction for five vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), pneumococcus (Spn), hepatitis A virus (HepA), rotavirus (RV), and human papillomavirus (HPV) to the future Korean National Immunization Program (NIP) and to suggest framework programs to assist decision makers on implementation of the NIP. METHODS: Following analysis of the disease burden and economics of the five VPDs by the core team and Korean Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices sub-committee members, a Delphi survey was administered to 94 Korean experts using structured questionnaires that provided the reference data. The two evaluation frameworks for NIP prioritization were (1) a disease-related framework and (2) a vaccine-related framework. After analyzing the responses, a meeting of experts was held to build a consensus for determining how to prioritize NIP implementation. RESULTS: The average scores for relative importance were 63.29 for the disease-related framework and 36.71 for the vaccine-related framework. Within the disease-related framework, the mortality and case fatality rate was the highest scored factor (8.97), whereas within the vaccine-related framework, efficacy of the vaccine was considered the most important factor (9.56). On average, Spn, Hib, and HepA had the highest priority scores. CONCLUSION: The Korean experts suggested that the main factors influencing the decision to adopt new vaccines in the Korean NIP should be disease mortality, case fatality, and the efficacy and effectiveness of the vaccine. Among the five selected VPDs, Spn, Hib, and HepA were considered to be of higher priority than RV and HPV.