ECONOMIC AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF CELL-BASED VERSUS EGG-BASED INFLUENZA VACCINES IN U.S. PEDIATRIC AND ADULT POPULATIONS: A MODELING STUDY
Author(s)
Joaquin F. Mould-Quevedo, MBA, MSc, PhD1, Van Hung Nguyen, PhD2;
1Seqirus, Global Health Economics and Value Strategy Director, Summit, NJ, USA, 2VHN Consulting, Montreal, QC, Canada
1Seqirus, Global Health Economics and Value Strategy Director, Summit, NJ, USA, 2VHN Consulting, Montreal, QC, Canada
OBJECTIVES: Influenza imposes a substantial clinical and economic burden on healthcare services in the United States, particularly among children and adults, underscoring the critical importance of effective vaccination strategies. Literature suggests that cell-based influenza vaccines offer potential benefits over traditional egg-based vaccines, which may improve health outcomes and help reduce the high burden of disease. This study aims to evaluate the clinical and economic impact of cell-based versus egg-based influenza vaccines in both pediatric (6 months-17 years) and adult (18-64 years) populations in the U.S. from a payer perspective.
METHODS: We employed a dynamic, age-stratified transmission model to estimate influenza-associated direct medical costs, assuming a current U.S. influenza immunization rate of 50% for pediatric and adult populations. Two distinct flu seasons were modeled: low incidence (2011-2012) and high incidence (2017-2018). Outcomes included total influenza-related outpatient and inpatient expenditures. Relative vaccine effectiveness (rVE) for cell-based versus egg-based vaccines was set at 12.5% extracted from multiple peer-reviewed observational studies. All U.S. direct medical costs per event were sourced from published literature.
RESULTS: Compared to egg-based vaccines, cell-based influenza vaccines are expected to reduce total estimated influenza-associated medical costs by $1,353 million (outpatient) and $2,866 million (inpatient) during a high-incidence season. In a low-incidence season, the avoided costs were $682 million (outpatient) and $1,382 million (inpatient). These savings are attributable to an expected reduction of 2.8 million outpatient visits and 65,783 inpatient admissions in a high-incidence season, and 1.6 million outpatient visits and 34,346 inpatient admissions in a low-incidence season.
CONCLUSIONS: Improving pediatric and adult influenza vaccination rates, alongside the adoption of cost-effective strategies such as cell-based vaccines, has the potential to significantly reduce direct medical expenditures, alleviate healthcare system burden, and advance national public health goals.
METHODS: We employed a dynamic, age-stratified transmission model to estimate influenza-associated direct medical costs, assuming a current U.S. influenza immunization rate of 50% for pediatric and adult populations. Two distinct flu seasons were modeled: low incidence (2011-2012) and high incidence (2017-2018). Outcomes included total influenza-related outpatient and inpatient expenditures. Relative vaccine effectiveness (rVE) for cell-based versus egg-based vaccines was set at 12.5% extracted from multiple peer-reviewed observational studies. All U.S. direct medical costs per event were sourced from published literature.
RESULTS: Compared to egg-based vaccines, cell-based influenza vaccines are expected to reduce total estimated influenza-associated medical costs by $1,353 million (outpatient) and $2,866 million (inpatient) during a high-incidence season. In a low-incidence season, the avoided costs were $682 million (outpatient) and $1,382 million (inpatient). These savings are attributable to an expected reduction of 2.8 million outpatient visits and 65,783 inpatient admissions in a high-incidence season, and 1.6 million outpatient visits and 34,346 inpatient admissions in a low-incidence season.
CONCLUSIONS: Improving pediatric and adult influenza vaccination rates, alongside the adoption of cost-effective strategies such as cell-based vaccines, has the potential to significantly reduce direct medical expenditures, alleviate healthcare system burden, and advance national public health goals.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-05, ISPOR 2026, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue S6
Code
EE513
Topic
Economic Evaluation
Disease
SDC: Pediatrics, STA: Vaccines