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Open Access 01-12-2018 | Commentary

Avoiding rash decisions about zoster vaccination: insights from cost-effectiveness evidence

Authors: Chester B. Good, Natasha Parekh, Inmaculada Hernandez

Published in: BMC Medicine | Issue 1/2018

Abstract

de Boer and colleagues present a cost-effectiveness analysis based in the Netherlands of two vaccines available for the prevention of herpes zoster. Zostavax® was the first vaccine available for the prevention of herpes zoster in older adults. A live-attenuated vaccine, Zostavax is not free of limitations, which include a relatively low efficacy that wanes over time and its contraindication among immunocompromised individuals. The recently available adjuvanted herpes zoster subunit vaccine Shingrix® overcomes some of these limitations. The herpes zoster subunit vaccine is more efficacious than Zostavax, and it can be administered to immunosuppressed individuals. However, the herpes zoster subunit vaccine is considerably costlier and requires a booster injection. In order to clarify the value of each vaccine, de Boer and colleagues compare the cost-effectiveness of no vaccination, and of vaccination with Zostavax or the herpes zoster subunit vaccine in four cohorts of older adults from the perspective of the Netherlands. Whereas neither vaccine was cost-effective under the willingness-to-pay threshold of €20,000 per quality-adjusted life year, the authors find the herpes zoster subunit vaccine to be cost-effective in some scenarios under a €50,000 per quality-adjusted life year threshold.

De Boer PT, van Lier A, de Melker H, van Wijck AJM, Wilschut JC, van Hoek AJ, et al. Cost-effectiveness of vaccination of immunocompetent older adults against herpes zoster in the Netherlands: a comparison between the adjuvanted subunit and live-attenuated vaccine. BMC Med. 2018; https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-018-1213–5. Accessed 11 Dec 2018.

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Title: Avoiding rash decisions about zoster vaccination: insights from cost-effectiveness evidence
Authors: Chester B. Good
Natasha Parekh
Inmaculada Hernandez
Publication date: 01-12-2018
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Medicine / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1741-7015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-018-1231-3

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Avoiding rash decisions about zoster vaccination: insights from cost-effectiveness evidence

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