Future savings from measles eradication in industrialized countries.

Estimates are made of monetary savings associated with measles eradication in seven industrialized countries. Three scenarios were studied: First, changing from the present two-dose measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) immunization schedule to one-dose of MMR; second, the use of an MMR and mumps-rubella schedule; or third, continuing the present schedule. Results show that the largest savings (US $623 million) would be achieved by changing to a one-dose MMR schedule with an assumption of a 3% discount rate and measles eradication in 2010. The smallest overall savings would result from option 3, by use of a 5% discount rate and the assumption that measles eradication occurs in 2020 ($10 million). These savings are less than previously estimated for the United States, partly because of the assumption that measles vaccines will continue to be delivered in response to possible bioterrorism threats.