Cost-effectiveness of nonavalent vs bivalent HPV vaccine in Polish setting

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a prevalent sexually transmitted infection with significant implications for public health. In Poland, a nationwide vaccination program offers a choice between the 9-valent (9v) and 2-valent (2v) HPV vaccines. We aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of the 9v vs 2v vaccine from the public payer perspective in Poland.

A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted to compare the public health and economic benefits of using 9v vs 2v vaccine in Poland over 100-year horizon using a previously published deterministic dynamic transmission model. A target population of girls and boys aged 12-13 years was considered. The model was populated with local epidemiological inputs, utilities, and costs, including vaccine and administration costs, as well as costs related to medical procedures for HPV-related diseases.

The 9v vaccine reduced the prevalence of HPV infections and HPV-related diseases substantially more than 2v vaccine when both are compared to no vaccination strategy. The total discounted cost savings of using the 9v vaccine instead of 2v, excluding the vaccine costs, amounted to EUR 66 million. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio amounted to 8094 EUR per quality-adjusted life year, much below the official cost-effectiveness threshold in Poland set up at the three times the annual gross domestic product per capita. 9v cost-effectiveness ratio remained unchanged when shorter time-horizons of 20, 40, 60, or 80 years were considered.

Using 9v HPV vaccine in Poland is highly cost-effective compared to the 2v vaccine.