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Updated: Jun 22, 2026
04:11
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Detection and Quantification of Hepatitis B Virus DNA
Published on: December 15, 2023
Economic evaluations of hepatitis B vaccination for developing countries
Hong-Anh T Tu1, Herman J Woerdenbag, Sumit Kane
1Unit of PharmacoEpidemiology & PharmacoEconomics (PE2), Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. h.a.tu@rug.nl
Expert Review of Vaccines
|June 23, 2009
Summary
Universal hepatitis B vaccination is a cost-effective strategy for many developing countries. Further country-specific economic evaluations are needed to optimize implementation and highlight the economic benefits of this public health intervention.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Economics
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Economic evaluations guide health intervention decisions.
- Most cost-effectiveness studies for hepatitis B vaccination are from developed countries.
- Developing countries need targeted health-economic data for vaccine program decisions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review economic evaluations of hepatitis B vaccination in developing countries.
- To identify key drivers of cost-effectiveness for hepatitis B vaccination in these regions.
- To highlight data quality issues and future research needs.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of economic evaluations.
- Analysis of studies focused on developing and less-developed countries.
- Identification of factors influencing cost-effectiveness.
Main Results:
- Vaccine price, discount rate, and HBV infection rates significantly impact cost-effectiveness.
- Data accuracy and reliability are critical issues requiring improvement.
- Monovalent vs. combination vaccines present new analytical challenges.
Conclusions:
- Universal hepatitis B vaccination is an appropriate and often cost-effective strategy for reducing endemicity in developing countries.
- Careful financial planning is essential for developing countries to implement universal immunization.
- Country-specific economic evaluations and high-quality data collection are crucial for demonstrating the effectiveness and economic attractiveness of universal hepatitis B vaccination.
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