Article ID: | iaor20053193 |
Country: | United States |
Volume: | 22 |
Issue: | 17/18 |
Start Page Number: | 17 |
End Page Number: | 18 |
Publication Date: | Jun 2004 |
Journal: | Vaccine |
Authors: | Jacobson Sheldon H., Sewell Edward C., Karnani T. |
Keywords: | vaccination |
Pediatric immunization is an important factor in providing protection against numerous common preventable diseases. The success of the pharmaceutical industry in developing new pediatric vaccines has resulted in a crowded recommended immunization schedule requiring several clinic visits over the first 12 years of life. Operations research models have been developed and used to make economically sound procurement choices from among a growing number of competing vaccine products. One factor that has not been incorporated into such models is the economic impact of wastage on such decisions. This paper reports results obtained from a vaccine selection algorithm that incorporates vaccine wastage data. The lowest overall cost formularies comparing no wastage costs with wastage costs are presented. A sensitivity analysis of the vaccine formulary with respect to the wastage rates associated with each available vaccine is provided. The maximum permissible wastage rate for each vaccine is determined for which the vaccine earns a place in the lowest overall cost formulary. This research provides health maintenance organizations and healthcare providers information that can be used to gain a better understanding of wastage and its impact on pediatric formulary costs.