Cost-effectiveness of the adjuvanted quadrivalent influenza vaccine for older adults in South Korea.

South Korea's National Immunization Program administers the quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) to manage seasonal influenza, with a particular focus on the elderly. After reviewing the safety and immune response triggered by the adjuvanted QIV (aQIV) in individuals aged 65 and older, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Korea approved its use. However, the extensive impact of aQIV on public health is yet to be fully understood. This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of replacing QIV with aQIV in South Korean adults aged 65 years and older. A dynamic transmission model, calibrated with national influenza data, was applied to compare the influence of aQIV and QIV on older adults and the broader population throughout a single influenza season. This study considered both the direct and indirect effects of vaccination on the elderly. We derived the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) from quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and costs incurred, validated through a probabilistic sensitivity analysis with 5,000 simulations. Findings suggest that transitioning to aQIV from QIV in the elderly would be cost-effective, particularly if aQIV's efficacy reaches or exceeds 56.1%. With an ICER of $29,267/QALY, considerably lower than the $34,998/QALY willingness-to-pay threshold, aQIV presents as a cost-effective option. Thus, implementing aQIV with at least 56.1% efficacy is beneficial from both financial and public health perspectives in mitigating seasonal influenza in South Korea.

Cost-Effectiveness of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination in the UK: Two Versus Single-Dose of Nonavalent HPV Vaccination.

INTRODUCTION: The UK implemented a single-dose HPV vaccination policy in September 2023, aiming for sustained protection, better vaccine coverage, and reduced healthcare costs. This research assesses the cost-effectiveness of both one-dose and two-dose schedules from a healthcare perspective. METHODS: Using an age-structured dynamic model, the study analyzed long-term health and economic outcomes of these two different vaccination approaches. It focused on the effects of vaccinating 12- to 13-year-olds with the 9-valent HPV vaccine in either single-dose or two-dose regimens from 2023 to 2093. The analysis, conducted in 2023-2024, explored different immunity durations (10, 30 years, or lifetime) and efficacy levels for the single-dose strategy. RESULTS: The study indicated that in the UK, vaccinating 12- to 13-year-olds with a two-dose regimen is not considered cost-effective compared to the single-dose option, assumed to be 90% as effective for 10 years. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for two doses ranged from £230,903 to £1,082,916 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY), significantly exceeding the UK's £20,000/QALY willingness-to-pay threshold. Over 70 years, a switch from a two-dose to a single-dose vaccination schedule could potentially lead to savings of over £1,073 million in the healthcare system. Furthermore, the single-dose regimen was cost-effective compared to no vaccination, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio below £2,040/QALY. CONCLUSIONS: The study affirms the cost-effectiveness of the UK's single-dose HPV vaccine, in sync with its September 2023 policy shift. The shift not only provides financial benefits but also simplifies vaccine administration, strategically reducing HPV's epidemiological and economic impacts.