Vaccines remain profitable even as their costs double

Vaccines remain profitable even as their costs double

Vaccination of each healthy person last year cost an average of 1,519 euros – 1,541 for women and 1,498 for men. a price that, although double the 2019 price, is still very good value for the national health system.for which a one-time hospitalization for influenza costs more than 3,200 euros, and for meningitis – more than 9,700 euros.

This increase is explained by the fact that every year general vaccination schedule for life, expands either pathologies from which you can protect yourself, or indications for existing vaccines, but which They are updated and recommended to more populations.

For example, last week Public Health Commission approves addition of rotavirus immunization -causes acute gastroenteritis in childhood and is the leading cause of hospitalization for acute diarrhea in Spain – although the target is 2025.

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In 2023 alone, four new ones were registered compared to the year before.: universal test for human papillomavirus (HPV) for boys 12 years old; from influenza in children from 5 to 59 months, from herpes zoster from 65 and from meningococcal infection of serogroup B in childhood. It is these last two that made the greatest contribution to the increase in value in 2023.

565 million for 15 diseases

Thus, this calendar – which does not include

COVID-19– currently consists of 15 diseases: polio, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hemophilus influenzae b; measles, rubella, mumps; hepatitis B; meningococcal infection; chicken pox; HPV; pneumococcal infection; shingles and influenza.

In parallel, there is another one for risk groups and programs for other specific situations, which also This was analyzed in the study “Update of lifetime vaccination costs in Spain for 2023.”» prepared by researchers from the Ministry of Health and the Carlos III Institute of Health.

To measure the value of vaccination the burden of prevented morbidity and mortality is taken into account and other factors such as social inequality, absence from school, use of health care services, or long-term disability.

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Based on these assumptions and calculated at 100% coverage, The estimated cost of vaccinating the entire target population in one year is approximately 565 million euros. (plus another 500 million for immunization of those born in 2023), representing 23% of health care spending on prevention and public health services, but only 0.5% of total health care spending.

While processes associated with diseases that can be prevented by vaccination, such as hospitalization for bacterial meningitis or influenza, In 2019 it cost an average of 9,711 or 3,276 euros.respectively.

“Therefore, despite the significant increase in costs as a result of changes made to the vaccination schedule, “includes a minimal portion of total health care costs”the authors emphasize.

With the universalization of the HPV vaccine, the only difference between women and men is recommended immunizations during pregnancy (dTpa – diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough – and influenza).

So, The estimated cost of vaccinating a healthy person was 1,519 euros., which is 125% more than before the pandemic, when the average was 675; For women, the cost reached 1541.56 euros (230 euros received from its use), and for men – 1498.18 euros (216 euros for wearing it).

By age, the average cost up to 14 years is 839 euros, and from 15 to 83 years old – 596.5.

Bye, highest value risk conditions These are asplenia, complement deficiency and primary immunodeficiencies (3159.8 euros and 2566 euros, respectively).

From 282 euros for flu to just 6 for whooping cough

Not all vaccines or recipients have the same impact on this cost. The study includes the price excluding VAT of each drug.of which almost 15% corresponds to average administrative costs (which amount to about 6 euros, with the exception of influenza in adults, which is 108 euros).

– Hexavalent (diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b and hepatitis B): administered at 2, 4 and 11 months, cost €29.95 per injection.

– Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis/polio (dTpa/VPI), which is given at age 6 to children already vaccinated at 2, 4 and 11 months, costs €22.29.

– Pneumococcal conjugate (VNC13): three punctures performed on children 2, 4 and 6 months old cost 42.85 euros each.

For people over 65 years of age, the pneumococcal (PN) vaccine costs €15.45.

– Meningococcal infection

For serogroup B (MenB), children should be vaccinated at 2, 4 and 12 months of age at a cost of €68/dose.

Serogroup C (MenC), which is given to children aged 2 and 4 months, costs €17/dose.

Meningococcal vaccine ACWY is administered at the age of 12 years as a single dose for 32.3 euros.

– Measles, rubella and mumps (MMR, TV): the price of a dose administered after 12 months is 10.48 euros; At the age of 12 and together with chickenpox (VZV), it rises to 36.7.

– Chicken pox (VZ): at 15 months, cost 24.99 euros.

– HPV: two doses administered at age 12 years cost 90 euros.

– DTPA for pregnant women costs 17.79 euros.

– Pertussis (Td) aged 14 years and over 65 years has a cost of 5.59 euros.

– Herpes zoster (HZ): for people over 65 years of age the price is 260 euros.

– Influenza: in the adult population it increases to 280 euros.

For pediatric patients it is reduced to 70.39 euros, for pregnant women – to 11.31 euros.