학술논문

Social Welfare and Adolescent Vaccination Programs in the United States: The Economic Opportunities for a Systematic Expansion.
Document Type
Article
Source
Social Work in Public Health; Sep/Oct2009, Vol. 24 Issue 5, p414-445, 32p, 1 Diagram, 1 Chart, 2 Graphs
Subject
Cost effectiveness
Teenagers
Vaccination
Public welfare
United States
Language
ISSN
19371918
Abstract
In this article, the authors review current literature to analyze the cost-effectiveness of seven vaccines now available for adolescents and one that is in development. An analysis is also performed regarding the cutoff price that deems a vaccine “cost-effective.” Often, $50,000 is the limit below which a drug is viewed as cost-effective. Our article contends that $160,000 could be a new limit below which the cost-effectiveness of a vaccine is better reflected. Based on standard economic valuations of life years in the United States and the preponderance of evidence from the cost-effectiveness literature, there is a compelling case for expanding adolescent vaccine programs, guidelines, and educational initiatives in the United States; there exist considerable economic benefits in excess of costs from policies that may achieve this objective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]