From Vaccine: Examining vaccines' economic value

A noteworthy paper in the issue of Vaccine dated August 10 examines assessments of costs and benefits for vaccines and vaccination programs. Titled "Do we fully understand the economic value of vaccines?" (free abstract), the implied answer is fairly obvious (or there'd be little need for another paper on the topic).

Anyone who has attended a meeting of the ACIP has seen firsthand the growing attention given to cost-effectiveness studies of a new vaccine prior to a decision on recommending its use. This paper, by Drummond and colleagues, examines cost-effectiveness data for several widely used vaccines and compares policies among developed-world countries for these vaccines. Among its conclusions:

• "The vast majority of vaccine strategies are cost-effective, when compared with accepted thresholds of cost-effectiveness."
• "Standard methods of economic evaluation...may underestimate the true economic value of preventive strategies such as vaccination."
• "Current vaccination policies in developed countries are generally in line with the existing evidence on cost-effectiveness, although they often lag behind."
  

An excellent paper addressing an issue of growing importance to vaccine policy in a time when vaccine prices are reaching new highs.