Cost-benefit analysis of routine childhood vaccination against chickenpox in Taiwan: decision from different perspectives.
Cost-benefit analysis was conducted to determine whether it is worthwhile to initiate a routine varicella vaccination program in Taiwan from different perspectives. Using the human capital approach, the discounted net cost for vaccination program was New Taiwan Dollars (NTD) 281 million from health care payer's perspective. Taking indirect costs into account, the net saving due to vaccination program was NTD 425 million from the societal perspective. In terms of benefit-cost ratio, a mass varicella vaccination program could only save NTD 0.34 in discounted costs for each dollar incurred in a vaccination program from health care payer's perspective whereas save NTD 2.06 from the societal viewpoint. Results based on the willingness-to-pay (WTP) method showed the Net Present Value (NPV) of the vaccination program was estimated as -NTD 272 million. We conclude that a routine varicella vaccination program is worthwhile from the societal perspective but neither from health care payer's nor from consumer decision based on the perspective of WTP.
Hsu
Hui-Chun
HC
Institute of Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Room 207, No. 19, Su-Chow, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Lin
Ruey Shiung
RS
Tung
Tao Hsin
TH
Chen
Tony Hsiu Hsi
TH
D002644:Chickenpox / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000191:economics*; D008390:Markov Chains; D032541:Mass Vaccination / Q000191:economics; D013624:Taiwan
D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine