title: Economic benefits of a routine second dose of combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in Canada.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the potential economic benefits of a program for a second routine dose of combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, administered to children in Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  Both published and unpublished data from the United States and Canada were incorporated into a linear model. This information was supplemented with opinions on probability and resource use from interviews with a Canadian panel of physicians and practitioners. The province of Quebec was used as a model for resource use and costs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were based on a vaccination program for Canadian children at 18 months, with an estimated annual birth cohort of 400,000. Further data were also collected for the lifetime costs of complications arising from these diseases or from vaccination, for both patients and family caregivers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outcomes were reviewed from the perspectives of a provincial ministry of health (direct medical costs) and of society (all direct and indirect medical and nonmedical costs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was estimated that a second dose of MMR vaccine administered at 18 months of age would prevent 9200 cases of measles, 6120 cases of mumps and 1960 cases of rubella, producing a savings of $6.34 for every dollar spent from the ministry of health perspective, and $3.25 from the societal perspective.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A routine second dose immunization with MMR vaccine would result in considerable cost savings in Canada.
authors.affiliation: Quintiles Canada Inc, Montreal, Quebec.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rivière
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tretiak
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Levinton
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fitzsimon
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leclerc