Cost-effectiveness of human papillomavirus vaccination for adolescent girls in Punjab state: Implications for India's universal immunization program.

BACKGROUND: Introduction of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for adolescent girls is being considered in the Punjab state of India. However, evidence regarding cost-effectiveness is sought by policy makers when making this decision. The current study was undertaken to evaluate the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained with introduction of the HPV vaccine compared with a no-vaccination scenario.

METHODS: A static progression model, using a combination of decision tree and Markov models, was populated using epidemiological, cost, coverage, and effectiveness data to determine the cost-effectiveness of HPV vaccination. Using a societal perspective, lifetime costs and consequences (in terms of QALYs) among a cohort of 11-year-old adolescent girls in Punjab state were modeled in 2 alternate scenarios with and without vaccination. All costs and consequences were discounted at a rate of 3%.

RESULTS: Although immunizing 1 year's cohort of 11-year-old girls in Punjab state costs Indian National Rupees (INR) 135 million (US dollars [USD] 2.08 million and International dollars [Int$] 6.25 million) on an absolute basis, its net cost after accounting for treatment savings is INR 38 million (USD 0.58 million and Int$ 1.76 million). Incremental cost per QALY gained for HPV vaccination was found to be INR 73 (USD 1.12 and Int$ 3.38). Given all the data uncertainties, there is a 90% probability for the vaccination strategy to be cost-effective in Punjab state at a willingness-to-pay threshold of INR 10,000, which is less than one-tenth of the per capita gross domestic product.

CONCLUSIONS: HPV vaccination appears to be a very cost-effective strategy for Punjab state, and is likely to be cost-effective for other Indian states. Cancer 2017;123:3253-60. © 2017 American Cancer Society.