The socio-economic value of adult immunization programmes

The Office of Health Economics (OHE), an independent health economics research organisation, released a first-of-its-kind analysis, commissioned by The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA), investigating the health and socio-economic benefits of adult vaccination programmes.

The report focuses on vaccines for influenza, pneumococcal disease, herpes zoster, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) across 10 countries representing a range of healthcare systems, demographics, and vaccine schedules (Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, South Africa, Thailand, and the United States).

The findings demonstrate that adult vaccination programs can return up to 19 times their initial investment when considering the comprehensive economic and societal benefits. This 19x return equates to up to USD 4,637 in net monetary benefits per individual for a full vaccination course.

These results show that adult immunisation can deliver socio-economic returns proportional to childhood immunisation programmes. The authors of the report call on policy- and decision-makers to adopt a prevention-first mindset, implement and optimise robust adult immunisation programmes that are proven cost-effective, and expand the evidence base for the broader value of adult immunisation.

Link to full resources: https://www.ohe.org/publications/the-socio-economic-value-of-adult-immunisation-programmes/

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Author: Morgane De Pol (IFPMA)