License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright
© Medicine and Pharmacy Reports, 2024
Affiliations
Ana-Mihaela Balanuta
Chisinau
Dina Bujor
1Department of Pediatrics, State University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Nicolae Testemitanu”, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova 2Scientific Laboratory of Pediatrics, Institute for Maternal and Child Healthcare, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Angela Paraschiv
3Department of Preventive Medicine, State University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Nicolae Testemitanu”, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Adela Horodisteanu-Banuh
2Scientific Laboratory of Pediatrics, Institute for Maternal and Child Healthcare, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Ninel Revenco
1Department of Pediatrics, State University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Nicolae Testemitanu”, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova 2Scientific Laboratory of Pediatrics, Institute for Maternal and Child Healthcare, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
How to Cite
Cost-effectiveness analysis of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine administered to children under 5 years of age in the Republic of Moldova
Abstract
Background. The Moldovan health authorities introduced the 13 valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine into the national immunization schedule for children in 2013. This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine compared to a no-vaccination strategy in children under 5 Years of age in the Republic of Moldova.
Methods. We used UNIVAC (version 1.7), a static decision model, to evaluate the health and economic outcomes of vaccination in a single-cohort of children under five years. We modeled vaccine introduction over 10 birth cohorts starting in 2013. We assumed a 2+1 (two doses + booster) schedule and a vaccination price of US$ 16.34 per dose. We used locally-specific data for pneumonia incidence, mortality, treatment, and costs. Model outcomes included pneumonia cases, hospitalizations, deaths, disability-adjusted life years, and costs presented in USD. Cost-effectiveness was reported as Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio. The Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio was calculated to estimate the additional cost to save an additional life year.
Results. From the governmental health sector the Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio was $5939 and from society perspective, $7272, respectively. Withal cost per disability-adjusted life years (DALY) averted was US$ 6311. PCV-13 was projected to prevent 2310 hospitalizations due to pneumococcal disease, including 118 deaths. Vaccination could potentially reduce the highest treatment cost from the payer perspective at $ 4 081 412 for the 13 valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.
Conclusion. This study evidenced that cost per DALY averted is US$ 6311, which is between one and three times Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, these findings extrapolate PCV-13 as a cost-effective intervention. Considering the scenario of Republic of Moldova the PCV program is a cost effective intervention and justifies the introduction of PCV into routine immunization schedule throughout the country in order to reduce morbidity and mortality among the under-five-year-old children.