Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine: review of cost-effectiveness studies in Australia, North America and Europe.

The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) is the first vaccine proven to be effective in reducing the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease, pneumonia and acute otitis media in children, and has been recommended for universal use in children in a number of high-income countries. The high cost of the vaccine relative to previous vaccines has generated interest in assessing its cost-effectiveness and numerous cost-effectiveness analyses of PCV have been performed in Australia, North America and Europe. The primary objectives of this review are to enhance the ability to make direct comparisons between these analyses, to aid in the identification and interpretation of methodological differences and to summarize the findings. Although these studies varied greatly in terms of methodology and assumptions, if and when indirect effects and quality-of-life improvements are taken into account, the cost-effectiveness ratios of PCV in these countries are likely to be within the ranges generally considered favorable vis-à-vis other health interventions.