Cost-benefit analysis of the Polish hepatitis B prevention programme.
This paper presents a cost-benefit analysis of hepatitis B vaccination in Poland. The costs relating to hepatitis B are based on official epidemiological data and a validated model, and amount to 1324.2 million Polish zlotys. The annual costs of vaccination amounted to 120 million zlotys, which when projected over a 20-year period with appropriate adjustment give a total cost of the vaccination programme of 2676 million zlotys. If vaccination is held at its present level for the next 20 years, the total value of benefits would be 12,046.4 million zlotys and of losses due to hepatitis B despite vaccination would be 14,437.0 zlotys. If no hepatitis B vaccination were performed, however, the total loss due to HBV infection is estimated to be 26,484.2 million zlotys. There is clearly a wide gap between the losses due to HBV infection despite vaccination and the costs of the vaccination programme. This clearly shows that the sooner total community vaccination is achieved, the greater the benefits. This may be achieved by vaccinating schoolchildren in the first year of school and by broadening the definitions of high-risk groups.
Wiewióra-Pilecka
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SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals, Hankiewicza 2, 02-103, Warsaw, Poland.
D002648:Child; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000191:economics* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014611:Vaccination / Q000191:economics*
D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines