Herpes Zoster Subunit Vaccine Cost-Effective Among Seniors

A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine suggests the herpes zoster subunit vaccine (HZ/su) is an effective, cost-saving option for shingles prevention in comparison with live-attenuated herpes zoster vaccine (ZVL) among adults aged 60 years or older, reports Healio . The researchers used a Markov decision model to compare the cost-effectiveness of HZ/su to no vaccination and vaccination with ZVL among immunocompetent adults aged 60 years or older. At all ages, HZ/su was more effective and less costly than ZVL. Based on vaccination age, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for HZ/su ranged from $20,038 to $30,084 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) versus no vaccination. The researchers observed that HZ/su would have lower overall costs than ZVL up to a price of $350 per series. For older adults, HZ/su was 73 percent likely to be cost-effective at $50,000 per QALY. However, the team caution that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendation of preferring HZ/su over ZVL could lead to future price hikes, which would neutralize the vaccine's cost-effectiveness. "Therefore, a recommendation linked to periodic reassessment of cost-effectiveness based on the vaccine price might help to mitigate the effect of the recommendation on vaccine affordability," they note.