Childhood vaccination against chickenpox: an analysis of benefits and costs.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the economic costs and benefits of routine childhood vaccination against varicella infection.

DESIGN

Decision-analytic model of the incidence and costs of chickenpox in children assumed to receive varicella vaccine at age 15 months in conjunction with the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, or not to be vaccinated against varicella.

PATIENTS

Hypothetical cohort of 100,000 children.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Costs of vaccination, cumulative incidence of chickenpox to age 25 years, and related disease costs, including medical treatment and work loss.

RESULTS

Vaccination of 100,000 children against varicella at age 15 months would cost $4,812,000. The expected number of cases of chickenpox to age 25 years would be reduced from 95,400 to 4800; costs of medical treatment and work loss would correspondingly decline by $1,678,000 and $9,781,000, respectively. On balance, vaccination is estimated to yield net economic benefits of $6,647,000, or $66.47 per vaccinee.

CONCLUSION

Vaccination against varicella infection is cost-effective and should be part of the routine immunization schedule for U.S. children.