Re–evaluation of the cost–effectiveness and effects of childhood rotavirus vaccination in Norway

BACKGROUND: Rotavirus vaccination was included into the Norwegian childhood immunisation programme in 2014. Before implementation, rotavirus vaccination was found to be cost–effective from a societal perspective, but not from a healthcare perspective. Since introduction, new data on the incidence and economic effects of rotavirus disease have become available. We assessed early epidemiological effects of the rotavirus vaccination programme and re–evaluated its cost–effectiveness in Norway for the years 2015–2019. METHODS: Using a dynamic transmission model, we compared the epidemiological effects of the ongoing two–dose vaccination programme with Rotarix(®), and a hypothetical 3–dose programme with RotaTeq(®) with no vaccination. A baseline cost of € 54 per fully vaccinated child was used. Cost–effectiveness was computed from a healthcare and societal perspective, using a decision analytical model. Data on healthcare use and costs, productivity losses and health utilities were based on published and own estimates. Uncertainty was accounted for in one–way, multi–way, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: During 2015–2019, 114,658 home care cases, 34,571 primary care cases, 7,381 severe cases, and 2 deaths associated with rotavirus disease were avoided due to vaccination. Under baseline assumptions vaccination was cost–effective from a healthcare perspective with a cost per QALY of € 47,447 for Rotarix(®) and € 52,709 for RotaTeq(®). The break–even price was € 70 for Rotarix(®) and € 67 for RotaTeq(®). Vaccination was cost–saving from the societal perspective, and also from a healthcare perspective for vaccine prices below € 25 and € 22 per vaccinated child for Rotarix(®) and RotaTeq(®), respectively. CONCLUSION: Ongoing childhood rotavirus vaccination in Norway has reduced the rotavirus disease burden substantially, and is cost–effective compared with no vaccination.