Hong Anh T Tu1, Robin de Vries2, Herman J Woerdenbag3, Shu Chuen Li4, Hoa H Le2, Marinus van Hulst5, Maarten J Postma2. 1. Unit of PharmacoEpidemiology and PharmacoEconomics (PE(2)), Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Pharmaceutical Management and Policy, Hanoi University of Pharmacy, Hanoi, Vietnam. Electronic address: h.a.tu@rug.nl. 2. Unit of PharmacoEpidemiology and PharmacoEconomics (PE(2)), Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. 3. Unit of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. 4. Discipline of Pharmacy and Experimental Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia. 5. Unit of PharmacoEpidemiology and PharmacoEconomics (PE(2)), Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Toxicology, Martini Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To perform a cost-effectiveness analysis and to identify the cost-effectiveness affordability levels for a newborn universal vaccination program against hepatitis B virus (HBV) in Vietnam. METHODS: By using a Markov model, we simulated a Vietnamese birth cohort using 1,639,000 newborns in 2002 and estimated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for quality-adjusted life-year gained following universal newborn HBV vaccination. Two types of analyses were performed, including and excluding expenditures on the treatment of chronic hepatitis B and its complications. We used Monte Carlo simulations to examine cost-effectiveness acceptability and affordability from the payer's perspective and constructed a cost-effectiveness affordability curve to assess the costs and health effects of the program. RESULTS: In the base-case analysis, newborn universal HBV vaccination reduced the carrier rate by 58% at a cost of US $42 per carrier averted. From the payer's perspective, incremental cost-effectiveness ratio per quality-adjusted life-year gained was US $3.77, much lower than the 2002 per-capita gross domestic product of US $440. Vaccination could potentially be affordable starting at a US $2.1 million budget. At the cost-effectiveness threshold of US $3.77 per quality-adjusted life-year and an annual budget of US $5.9 million, the probability that vaccination will be both cost-effective and affordable was 21%. CONCLUSIONS: Universal newborn HBV vaccination is highly cost-effective in Vietnam. In low-income, high-endemic countries, where funds are limited and the economic results are uncertain, our findings on the cost-effectiveness affordability options may assist decision makers in proper health investments.
OBJECTIVES: To perform a cost-effectiveness analysis and to identify the cost-effectiveness affordability levels for a newborn universal vaccination program against hepatitis B virus (HBV) in Vietnam. METHODS: By using a Markov model, we simulated a Vietnamese birth cohort using 1,639,000 newborns in 2002 and estimated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for quality-adjusted life-year gained following universal newborn HBV vaccination. Two types of analyses were performed, including and excluding expenditures on the treatment of chronic hepatitis B and its complications. We used Monte Carlo simulations to examine cost-effectiveness acceptability and affordability from the payer's perspective and constructed a cost-effectiveness affordability curve to assess the costs and health effects of the program. RESULTS: In the base-case analysis, newborn universal HBV vaccination reduced the carrier rate by 58% at a cost of US $42 per carrier averted. From the payer's perspective, incremental cost-effectiveness ratio per quality-adjusted life-year gained was US $3.77, much lower than the 2002 per-capita gross domestic product of US $440. Vaccination could potentially be affordable starting at a US $2.1 million budget. At the cost-effectiveness threshold of US $3.77 per quality-adjusted life-year and an annual budget of US $5.9 million, the probability that vaccination will be both cost-effective and affordable was 21%. CONCLUSIONS: Universal newborn HBV vaccination is highly cost-effective in Vietnam. In low-income, high-endemic countries, where funds are limited and the economic results are uncertain, our findings on the cost-effectiveness affordability options may assist decision makers in proper health investments.