Much has been written on the cost-effectiveness of immunizations used in preventive medicine. Using recent data and issues, the economic perspectives of the vaccines for pertussis, poliomyelitis, and hepatitis B are reevaluated. They are all good health investments, but benefit-cost or cost-effectiveness analysis permits better consideration of the circumstances under which and the populations for whom they can best be used.
KoplanJPSchoenbaumSCWeinsteinMCFraserDWPertussis vaccine: An analysis of benefits, risks, and costs. N Engl J Med.1979;301:901–911.
2.
HinmanARDTP vaccine litigation. Am J Dis Child. 1986;140:528–530.
3.
HinmanARKoplanJPPertussis and pertussis vaccine: Re-analysis of benefits, risks, and costs. JAMA. 1984;251:3109–3113.
4.
HinmanARKoplanJPPertussis and pertussis vaccine: Further analysis of benefits, risks and costs. Dev Biol Stand. 1986;61.
5.
WeisbrodBACosts and benefits of medical research: A case study of poliomyelitis. J Pol Economics. 1971;79:527–544.
6.
SchumacherW.Discussion of cost-benefit analysis. In: Perkins, ed. Proc Int Symp on Vaccination Against Communicable Diseases, Monaco 1973. Symp Ser Immunobiol Standard. Basel: Karger; 1973;22:47–48.
7.
HinmanARKoplanJPOrensteinWABrinkEWNkowaneBMLive or inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine: An analysis of benefits and risks. Am J Public Health. (accepted for publication in 1988).
8.
KoplanJPKaneMLHepatitis vaccine: Assessment of a preventive technology. J Health Care Technol. 1986;2(4):217–224.
9.
Centers for Disease Control. Inactivated hepatitis B virus vaccine. MMWR. 1982;31:317–322, 327–328.
10.
MulleyAGSilversteinMDDienstagJLIndications for use of hepatitis B vaccine, based on cost-effectiveness analysis. N Engl J Med.1982;307:644–652.
11.
ArevaloJAWashingtonAECost-effectiveness of prenatal screening and immunization for hepatitis B virus. JAMA. 1988;259:365–369.
12.
DoubiletPWeinsteinMCMcNeilBJUse and misuse of the term “cost-effective” in medicine. N Engl J Med.1986;314:253–256.
