Economic evaluation of vaccination programs: the impact of herd-immunity.
Brisson, M;
Edmunds, WJ;
(2003)
Economic evaluation of vaccination programs: the impact of herd-immunity.
Medical decision making, 23 (1).
pp. 76-82.
ISSN 0272-989X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0272989X02239651
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The unique characteristic of vaccination is that it not only reduces the incidence of disease in those immunized but also indirectly protects nonvaccinated susceptibles against infection (produces herd-immunity). The bulk of economic evaluations of vaccination programs continue to use models that cannot take into account the indirect effects produced by herd-immunity. Here, the authors illustrate the importance of incorporating herd-immunity externalities when assessing the cost-effectiveness of vaccination progams. To do this, they compare 2 methods of estimating the benefits of routine mass vaccination: one that includes herd-immunity (dynamic approach) and one that does not (static approach). Finally, they use the results to clarify a number of misconceptions that are common in the literature concerning herd-immunity and dynamical effects produced by models.