[Cost effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccine (author's transl)].

We try, in this study, to clarify two problems: 1) is vaccination against pneumococcal infection economically justified? 2) what is the best age group to vaccinate? On this basis of epidemiological data concerning mainly pneumococcal pneumonia and secondarily other pneumococcal diseases, we measure medical care costs related to these diseases for the 1974 french population. Then we elaborate ten vaccination hypothesis and compare them from the cost-effectiveness point of view, taking in account vaccination costs and medical care costs saved on one part and implicate saved life values on the other part. The more favorable results appear for high risks 45 years of age and older.