Preliminary cost-effectiveness analysis of an AIDS vaccine in Abidjan, Ivory Coast

A preliminary assessment was made of the cost-effectiveness of a hypothetical AIDS vaccine in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. A total cost of $20,079 per HIV positive case in the Ivory Coast was projected by estimating the indirect and direct costs of infection. The HIV vaccine was then estimated to increase by $5.28; the costs of a fully immunized child (plus costs of the vaccine). After using this data and taking into account that at least 5% of a cohort of vaccine-eligible infants would become HIV positive at approximately age 26, a cost-benefit analysis was undertaken varying cost, efficacy rates for the hypothetical vaccine and HIV seroprevalence rates in order to indicate at what price per individual dose of vaccine would it stop being cost-beneficial. Furthermore, the basic model was expanded to include vaccinating young adults and the added benefits associated with decreased HIV transmission especially in individuals with high risk behavior. The model was expanded to examine the effects of a changing discount rate. Because of the tremendous economic burden due to AIDS, the prospective vaccine costs at which there is no economic benefit were higher than expected.