Economic Analysis of Vaccination Programs
This guideline helps researchers and decision-makers evaluate the costs and benefits of vaccination programs by providing best practices for economic analysis, including how to model disease spread, measure health outcomes, and estimate costs.
At a glance
Use when
Evaluating cost-effectiveness of new or existing vaccines; informing immunization policy; comparing vaccination strategies across populations
Avoid when
Conducting non-economic evaluations of vaccines; when disease transmission dynamics are poorly understood; lack of data on key parameters like vaccine efficacy or costs
Inputs
Epidemiological data, vaccine efficacy, cost data, health state utilities, time horizon, population size
Outputs
Cost-effectiveness ratios (e.g., ICER), budget impact, health outcomes averted (e.g., cases, deaths, QALYs gained)
How it works
Developed by the ISPOR Good Practices for Outcomes Research Task Force, this guideline outlines methodological standards for conducting economic evaluations of vaccination programs. It covers aspects such as model structure and validation, cost measurement (including healthcare and societal perspectives), outcome assessment (e.g., quality-adjusted life years, herd immunity effects), and sensitivity analysis tailored to immunization programs.
- HTA domains
- Clinical Effectiveness, Costs & Economic Evaluation, Patient and Social Aspects
- Categories
- Cost-effectiveness ModellingCosting & Resource UseEvidence SynthesisReporting Standards & Best Practice
- Assumptions
- Vaccination provides direct and indirect (herd) protection; costs and effects can be quantified over time; future outcomes can be discounted; model structure reflects disease transmission dynamics
- Strengths
- Provides standardized, transparent methods; addresses unique aspects of vaccination such as herd immunity and long-term benefits; developed through expert consensus
- Limitations
- May not cover all local contexts or emerging pathogens; assumes availability of detailed epidemiological and cost data; less guidance on equity considerations
- Also known as
- ISPOR Vaccination Economic Analysis Guideline
Questions this answers
- › How should economic models be structured for vaccination programs?
- › What costs and outcomes should be included in vaccine evaluations?
- › How can herd immunity be accounted for in economic analyses?
- › What are best practices for discounting in long-term vaccination models?
- › How should uncertainty be handled in vaccine cost-effectiveness studies?
- › What perspective should be used when analyzing vaccination programs economically?
References & sources
Similar by meaning
- Guidance for good health economic modelling practices in personalised medicines
- WHO-CHOICE Generalized Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (updated methodology)
- A Framework for Developing the Structure of Public Health Economic Models
- Dutch Guideline for Economic Evaluations in Healthcare
- Guidelines for the Economic Evaluation of Health Technologies: Canada — 4th Edition
Beta record. Based on the original catalogue summary; primary-source enrichment pending.