title: Until which age should women be vaccinated against HPV infection? Recommendation based on cost-effectiveness analyses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cervical cancer is caused by infection with human papillomavirus (HPV). Several countries have implemented vaccination programs against HPV for teenage girls before sexual debut. However, recent clinical trials have demonstrated that vaccination of older women is highly effective as well. Accordingly, it has been suggested that these older women should also be offered vaccination. Here, the cost-effectiveness of HPV vaccination for older women was assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Markov model was used to estimate age-specific health benefits and cost savings of HPV vaccination for women 12-50 years of age, in the Netherlands. Sensitivity analyses were performed to test the robustness of the outcomes. State-of-the-art health-economic methods were used, and international health-economic guidelines were followed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HPV vaccination is highly cost-effective for girls aged 12-16 years. Remarkably, cost-effectiveness only slowly declines with increasing age of the vaccinees up to 25 years. Indeed, substantial health benefits can be obtained by vaccinating women in this age group at acceptable costs. Beyond this age, cost-effectiveness of HPV-vaccination rapidly declines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Not only HPV vaccination of girls before sexual debut is a highly effective and cost-effective strategy for prevention of cervical cancer, but also vaccination of women until the age of 25 years is generally cost-effective.
authors: Department of Medical Microbiology-Molecular Virology, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands. t.a.westra@med.umcg.nl
authors: Tjalke A
authors: TA
authors: Westra
authors: Mark H
authors: MH
authors: Rozenbaum
authors: Raina M
authors: RM
authors: Rogoza
authors: Hans W
authors: HW
authors: Nijman
authors: Toos
authors: T
authors: Daemen
authors: Maarten J
authors: MJ
authors: Postma
authors: Jan C
authors: JC
authors: Wilschut
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000191:economics / Q000276:immunology*; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines