Cost-Effectiveness of Older Adult COVID-19 mRNA-1273 and BNT162B2 Vaccination in Italy
Author(s)
Rumi F1, Basile M2, Joshi K3, Beck E4, Di Brino E5, Ponzianelli A3
1Graduate School of Health Economics and Management (ALTEMS), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, RM, Italy, 2Graduate School of Health Economics and Management (ALTEMS), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy, 3Moderna, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA, 4Moderna, Inc., Munich, BY, Germany, 5Graduate School of Health Economics and Management (ALTEMS), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Lazio, Italy
Presentation Documents
OBJECTIVES: Older adults face a high risk of severe COVID-19 due to weakened immune systems and existing health conditions. For the 2023/2024 season, Italy recommended COVID-19 vaccination for individuals aged 60 and above. Despite the availability of two mRNA vaccines, only BNT162b2 was offered. Recent real-world data indicates that mRNA-1273 is more effective than BNT162b2 in preventing COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations. This study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of implementing mRNA-1273 vaccination campaign compared to no vaccination and BNT162b2 vaccination.
METHODS: A cost-effectiveness model was adapted to assess COVID-19 vaccination of Italian adults aged 60 and over. The model projected clinical outcomes such as symptomatic infections, hospitalizations, deaths, long COVID cases, and QALY losses, in addition to healthcare costs, for both vaccinated and unvaccinated scenarios over one year (October 2023 - September 2024). Data on epidemiology and costs were obtained from Italian sources. Clinical impact was measured by comparing different outcomes, while the economic impact was assessed using the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) considering the healthcare payer perspective.
RESULTS: The potential mRNA-1273 vaccination campaign is estimated to be cost-effective at an ICER of 18,689 €/QALY. Deterministic sensitivity analysis shows the ICER to vary between 13,236 and 26,038 €/QALY. In comparison with BNT162b2, mRNA-1273 is estimated to prevent an additional 44,020 cases, 7,628 hospitalizations and 1,054 deaths resulting in a value-based price premium for mRNA-1273 of 45.99 € at a willingness to pay threshold of 35,000 €/QALY.
CONCLUSIONS: Implementing the mRNA-1273 vaccine for the 2023/2024 season in Italy could significantly enhance COVID-19 prevention efforts in adults ≥60 years of age. A potential mRNA-1273 campaign being highly cost-effective and preventing more COVID-19 in comparison to BNT162b2 could ensure better protection of older adults from COVID-19 and more sustainable healthcare policies.
Conference/Value in Health Info
Value in Health, Volume 27, Issue 12, S2 (December 2024)
Code
EE573
Topic
Clinical Outcomes, Economic Evaluation, Epidemiology & Public Health
Topic Subcategory
Clinical Outcomes Assessment, Cost-comparison, Effectiveness, Utility, Benefit Analysis, Public Health
Disease
Vaccines