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Vaccination efforts estimated to prevent 20 million deaths by 2020
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Vaccination efforts supported by Gavi, a global Vaccine Alliance, in 73 low- and middle-income countries is expected to avert more than 20 million deaths between 2001 and 2020, with an estimated savings of $350 billion in health care costs.
“Vaccination is generally regarded as one of the most cost-effective interventions in public health,” Sachiko Ozawa, PhD, associate professor at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, said in a press release. “Decision-makers need to appreciate the full potential economic benefits that are likely to result from the introduction and sustained use of any vaccine or vaccination program.”
To evaluate economic changes expected between 2001 and 2020 that are influenced by vaccination efforts against 10 diseases, the researchers implemented health impact models that estimate the impact of anticipated coverage efforts against Haemophilus influenzae type b, hepatitis B, human papillomavirus, Japanese encephalitis, measles, Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A, rotavirus, rubella, Streptococcus pneumoniae and yellow fever.
The costs of these vaccinations were then compared with not vaccinating this population, the cost of treatments no longer needed, transportation costs, productivity losses of caregivers and productivity losses as a result of disability and death, all expressed in 2010 United States dollars. Ozawa and colleagues also used a value-of-a-life-year method to observe the wider economic and social implications on longer lifespans and better health from immunization efforts.
In addition to the 20 million deaths prevented and the $350 billion saved in health care costs related to illness, vaccination efforts supported by Gavi are estimated to save $330 billion as a result of fewer deaths and $9 billion from lessened disability . Vaccinations over this time period will save these cohorts $5 billion in lifetime treatment costs, and the researchers expect that $820 billion will be saved in broader social and economic outcomes from vaccination efforts.
“Our examination of the broader economic and social value of vaccines illustrates the substantial gains associated with vaccination,” Ozawa said in the release. “Unlike previous estimates that only examine the averted costs of treatment, our estimates of the broader economic and social value of vaccines reflect the intrinsic value that people place on living longer and healthier lives.” – by Katherine Bortz
Disclosure: This study was performed with financial support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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