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Hepatitis B vaccination of blood donors--a cost-benefit analysis
M Gesemann1, P Gentner, N Scheiermann
1Institute for Laboratory Medicine, St. Markus Hospital, Frankfurt/M., Germany.
In an analysis comparing the costs of hepatitis B vaccination for blood donors versus the preventable expenses for post-transfusion hepatitis B (PTH-B), the price of a vaccine dose, the duration of protection, the number of components transfused per blood donation, the incidence of symptomatic PTH-B, and the costs induced by the different courses of hepatitis B infection are included as relevant factors. It is concluded that universal hepatitis B immunization of blood donors is desirable to ensure a safer blood supply and is already today cost-effective for repeat donors.
In an analysis comparing the costs of hepatitis B vaccination for blood donors versus the preventable expenses for post-transfusion hepatitis B (PTH-B), the price of a vaccine dose, the duration of protection, the number of components transfused per blood donation, the incidence of symptomatic PTH-B, and the costs induced by the different courses of hepatitis B infection are included as relevant factors. It is concluded that universal hepatitis B immunization of blood donors is desirable to ensure a safer blood supply and is already today cost-effective for repeat donors.