The European Journal of Health Economics

, Volume 10, Issue 1, pp 25–38 | Cite as

Cost effectiveness analysis of heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Germany considering herd immunity effects

  • Christa Claes
  • Ralf René Reinert
  • Johann-Matthias Graf von der Schulenburg
Original paper
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

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.

Keywords

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) Herd immunity Pneumococcal disease Germany 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the members of the German Advisory Board Prevenar® PCV7 for their valuable comments.

Competing interest

This study was supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Wyeth Pharma, Münster, Germany.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2008

Authors and Affiliations

  • Christa Claes
    • 1
  • Ralf René Reinert
    • 2
  • Johann-Matthias Graf von der Schulenburg
    • 1
  1. 1.Centre for Health Economics and Health System ResearchLeibniz University of HannoverHannoverGermany
  2. 2.Institute of Medical Microbiology, National Reference Centre for StreptococciUniversity Hospital RWTH AachenAachenGermany

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