Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Influenza imposes a substantial economic burden in the United States, affecting both children and working-age adults. Lost workdays—whether due to adult illness or caregivers missing work to care for sick children—drive significant productivity losses alongside direct medical costs. Recent literature indicates that cell-based influenza vaccines may offer improved effectiveness over traditional egg-based vaccines, potentially reducing the overall impact of influenza on the workforce and healthcare expenditures. This study aims to quantify and compare the economic and productivity benefits—specifically reductions in lost workdays—of cell-based versus egg-based influenza vaccines in U.S. pediatric (6 months-17 years) and adult (18-64 years) populations from a societal perspective.
METHODS: A dynamic, age-stratified transmission model estimated influenza-associated productivity losses, assuming a 50% immunization rate for pediatric and adult populations. Two flu seasons were modeled: low incidence (2011-2012) and high incidence (2017-2018). Outcomes included the estimated number of lost workdays due to adult illness and caregiver absenteeism for pediatric cases, as well as their economic impact in the U.S. setting. Relative vaccine effectiveness (rVE) for cell-based versus egg-based vaccines was set at 12.5%, based on multiple peer-reviewed observational studies. All U.S. cost and productivity data were sourced from published literature.
RESULTS: Compared to egg-based vaccines, cell-based influenza vaccines are projected to reduce total influenza-associated workdays lost by $1,261 million during a high-incidence season, and by $692 million in a low-incidence season. Additionally, cell-based vaccines are expected to prevent over 10.5 million workdays lost in high-incidence seasons, and over 5.8 million workdays lost in low-incidence seasons, including both adult absenteeism and caregiver work loss for pediatric cases.
CONCLUSIONS: Adopting cell-based influenza vaccines for pediatric and adult populations can significantly decrease lost workdays—both directly and through reduced caregiver absenteeism—alleviating economic and productivity burdens on U.S. payers and employers and supporting national public health objectives.