The cost-effectiveness of an adjuvanted quadrivalent influenza vaccine in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom (UK), both the MF59-adjuvanted quadrivalent influenza vaccine (aQIV) and the high-dose QIV (QIV-HD) are preferred for persons aged 65 years and older but only aQIV is reimbursed by the National Health Service (NHS). The objective was to determine the potential cost-effectiveness of vaccinating adults aged 65 years and above with aQIV compared with QIV-HD in the UK. A dynamic transmission model, calibrated to match infection data from the UK, was used to estimate the impact of vaccination in 10 influenza seasons. Vaccine effectiveness was based on a meta-analysis that concluded the vaccines were not significantly different. Vaccine coverage, physician visits, hospitalizations, deaths, utility losses and NHS costs were estimated using published UK sources. The list price of aQIV was 11.88 pound while a range of prices were tested for QIV-HD. The price of the trivalent high-dose vaccine (TIV-HD) is 20.00 pound but a list price for QIV-HD is not yet available. The projected differences between the vaccines in terms of clinical cases and influenza treatment costs are minimal. Our analysis demonstrates that in order to be cost-effective, the price of QIV-HD must be similar to that of aQIV and may range from 7.57 pound to 12.94 pound depending on the relative effectiveness of the vaccines. The results of the analysis were most sensitive to variation in vaccine effectiveness and the rate of hospitalization due to influenza. Given the evidence, aQIV is cost-saving unless QIV-HD is priced lower than the existing list price of TIV-HD.

Automated summary

In the UK, the potential cost-effectiveness of vaccinating adults aged 65 years and above with MF59-adjuvanted quadrivalent influenza vaccine (aQIV) compared with high-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV-HD) is similar, with QIV-HD needing to be priced similarly to aQIV in order to achieve cost-effectiveness.