Cost benefit analysis of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccination programme in Israel.
OBJECTIVE
The recent availability of Haemophilus influenzae type b (HIB) conjugate vaccines prompted an examination of the costs and benefits of four and three dose HIB prevention programmes targeting all newborns in Israel.


RESULTS
A four dose programme would reduce the number of childhood (aged 0-13) HIB cases from 184.2 to 31.3 per year, yielding a benefit ($1.03 million) to cost ($3.55 million) ratio of just 0.29/l for health services only, based on a vaccine price of $7.74 per dose. When benefits resulting from a reduction in mild handicaps and severe neurological sequelae are included, the benefit ($4.48 million) to cost ratio rises to 1.26/l and it reaches 1.45/l when the $0.66 million indirect benefits of reduced work absences and mortality are also included. Break even vaccine costs are $2.24 when health service benefits only are considered and $11.21 when all the benefits are included.


CONCLUSIONS
In the absence of other projects with higher benefit to cost ratios, Israel should start to provide a nationwide HIB vaccination programme since the monetary benefits to society of such a programme will exceed the costs to society. A barrier to implementation may occur, however, because the costs of the programme exceed the benefits to the health services alone.
Ginsberg
G M
GM
Department of Data Analysis, Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel.
Kassis
I
I
Dagan
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004519:Education, Special / Q000191:economics; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000191:economics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines / Q000191:economics*; D017048:Health Care Costs; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000191:economics*; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000191:economics; D026712:Value of Life
D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines