OBJECTIVES: In 2020, the 73^rd World-Health-Assembly adopted the Global Strategy for Cervical Cancer Elimination. Accordingly, all Member States are called upon to achieve a cervical cancer incidence-rate of less than 4 per 100,000 women (2019:7/100,000). To reach this WHO target by 2030, 90% of all girls by the age of 15 should be vaccinated against HPV. Austria has committed to pursuing this goal, whereby the free vaccination program is administered to all genders to age of 21. Currently, around 51% are vaccinated by the age of 15. To quantify the positive impact of the HPV-vaccination program, a budget-impact-analysis was conducted.

METHODS: A multi-cohort, population-based model was developed over a 5-year time-horizon to compare a world with to a world without HPV-vaccination. The population estimate is based on the recently published HPV-report from the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection. The model included the following states: cervical, anal, vulvar, vaginal, penis, head and neck cancer, genital warts, related disease and mortality. In the world with vaccination the percentage of immunized individuals increases from 7.4% 1^st-year to 9.3% 5^th-year in the total population; from 38%-48% for those under 21 (51%-56% by the age of 15). Results were presented from the societal and health-care-systems perspective.

RESULTS: Assuming the mentioned growth of vaccination coverage rate, annual savings account for 52.2 million € (m€) (1^st-year) to 69.7 m€ (5^th-year) [total: 309.7 m€ over 5-years]. Direct costs contributed between 40.7 m€ (1^st-year) to 54.3 m€ (5^th-year) [total: 241.5 m€] to total saving. Over 5-years, 6,093 carcinomas can be prevented. The savings in indirect costs due to sick-leaves range from 11,5 m€ (1^st-year) to 15,3 m€ (5^th-year) [total: 68,2 m€].

CONCLUSIONS: 1€ invested in the HPV-vaccine relieves the society with 4,1€ and saves 1.9€ in health-care-system. The cervical cancer incidence-rate would decrease to 5.1/100,000 women in 2027.