Evaluation of vaccine allergy safety track program to assess potential COVID-19 vaccine allergy: a cost-effectiveness analysis.
Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol
; 2024 Sep 22.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-39306735
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Concerns about new COVID-19 vaccines played a key role in vaccine hesitancy and hampered population uptake. Hong Kong initiated a Vaccine Allergy Safety Track (VAS-Track) program to assess potential COVID-19 vaccine-associated allergies. A 'Hub-and-Spoke' model of predominately non-specialists supported by the allergist hub was established to meet overwhelming demand despite limited specialists.OBJECTIVE:
To assess the cost-effectiveness of VAS-Track as a pre- and post-vaccination assessment service for individuals potentially at high risk of COVID-19 vaccine-related allergy.METHODS:
An individual-level decision-analytical model was constructed using data from VAS-Track participants supplemented by published estimates. Analyses were from a health service provider perspective over 12 months. We calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) to estimate the cost per quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained. Willingness-to-pay threshold was based on local GDP per capita (US$ 49,590). Sensitivity analyses examined robustness of findings.RESULTS:
Cost-effectiveness varied widely across age groups. VAS-Track was cost-saving for older adults (dominant strategy for age ≥ 50) compared with standard practice across a range of sensitivity analyses. VAS-Track was not cost-effective for younger groups (age 18-49 ICER US$ 410,914/QALY for pre-vaccination and US$ 213,786/QALY for post-vaccination assessments). Infection rate, cost of treating severe infection, and vaccination rate were most influential on cost-effectiveness estimates.CONCLUSION:
VAS-Track was cost-effective both as a pre- and post-vaccination assessment service for adults over 50. The 'Hub-and-Spoke' model using non-specialists with limited allergy specialist resources to provide vaccine allergy assessment services would provide high economic value compared with usual care for adults aged 50 and over.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Language:
En
Journal:
Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol
Year:
2024
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Taiwan