Influenza, a viral respiratory illness caused by influenza type A and B viruses, poses a significant health threat globally. The World Health Organization estimates millions of severe cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths annually due to influenza-related complications. In the United States alone, during the 2022–2023 season, influenza led to millions of illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths, with a substantial economic burden on the healthcare system. Vaccination is a key strategy recommended by the CDC to prevent influenza and its complications, with various influenza vaccines available, including egg-based, cell-based, and recombinant vaccines.
Egg-based influenza vaccines, commonly used for vaccine production, have limitations due to mutations that may occur during production, potentially affecting vaccine effectiveness. Non-egg-based vaccines, such as cell-based and recombinant vaccines, offer an alternative manufacturing method that may provide better protection against circulating viral strains. Studies have shown that cell-based vaccines were more effective in preventing hospitalizations and outpatient visits compared to egg-based vaccines. However, the effectiveness of recombinant vaccines compared to standard vaccines showed mixed results in different studies.
Understanding the cost-effectiveness of these non-egg-based vaccines is crucial for healthcare decision-makers to allocate resources efficiently. A recent study compared the cost-effectiveness of cell-based and recombinant influenza vaccines in adults aged 18–64 years in the US during the 2018–2019 season. A dynamic transmission model combined with a decision tree model was used to estimate health and economic outcomes, considering factors such as vaccine effectiveness, disease transmission, and healthcare costs.
The study found that both cell-based and recombinant vaccines were effective in reducing influenza cases, outpatient visits, hospitalizations, and deaths compared to no vaccination. Cell-based vaccination showed a greater reduction in the burden of influenza-related visits and hospitalizations compared to recombinant vaccination. From a commercial payer perspective, the cell-based vaccine resulted in significant cost savings compared to both no vaccination and recombinant vaccination, driven by lower outpatient costs. Similarly, from a societal perspective, both vaccines led to cost savings and gains in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) compared to no vaccination, with the cell-based vaccine showing slightly higher benefits.
One-way sensitivity analyses showed that the cell-based vaccine remained dominant across various scenarios, indicating its cost-effectiveness compared to no vaccination and recombinant vaccine. Scenario analyses over a ten-year period, considering long-term sequelae and the 2019–2020 season’s vaccine effectiveness, further supported the cost-effectiveness of cell-based vaccination. The study also highlighted the impact of risk stratification in cost-effectiveness, showing favorable outcomes for both low and high-risk individuals vaccinated with the cell-based vaccine.
Despite some limitations, such as assumptions regarding vaccine effectiveness and symptom differentiation, the study provides valuable insights into the economic and clinical benefits of cell-based influenza vaccination in adults. The findings underscore the potential public health advantages of prioritizing cell-based vaccines over recombinant or standard vaccines in preventing influenza-related complications and reducing healthcare costs in the US adult population. Further research and real-world data will continue to refine our understanding of the role of non-egg-based vaccines in influenza prevention and control.
Takeaways:
– Non-egg-based influenza vaccines, such as cell-based and recombinant vaccines, offer potential advantages over traditional egg-based vaccines.
– Cell-based vaccines have shown greater effectiveness in preventing hospitalizations and outpatient visits compared to egg-based vaccines in recent studies.
– Cost-effectiveness analyses suggest that cell-based vaccines may provide significant cost savings and health benefits compared to recombinant vaccines and no vaccination in adults aged 18–64 years.
– Risk stratification based on the likelihood of developing influenza-related complications is essential in assessing the cost-effectiveness of different influenza vaccines.
– Continued research and surveillance are necessary to inform vaccine strategies and optimize influenza prevention efforts.
Read more on pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov