Benefits, cost requirements and cost-effectiveness of the HPV16,18 vaccine for cervical cancer prevention in developing countries: policy implications

Approximately 70% of cases of cervical cancer worldwide are caused by genotypes 7 6 and 18 of human papillomavirus (HPV), which is sexually transmitted. With the availability of an effective vaccine against these HPV types, there is real hope for reducing the global burden of cervical cancer in developing countries. Stakeholders faced with decisions about where to invest money to improve health must consider the burden of disease caused by cervical cancer relative to other priorities and the comparative benefits of different interventions. We conducted a series of analyses to obtain information for agencies drafting immunisation policy recommendations, financing coordination mechanisms, and country decision-makers on the benefits, cost requirements and cost-effectiveness of the HPV16,18 vaccine. We found that making an HPV16, 18 vaccine accessible to 70% of young adolescent girls in 72 of the poorest countries, China, Thailand, and all of Latin America and the Caribbean, could prevent the future deaths of more than four million women vaccinated over the next decade. Provided the cost per vaccinated girl is less than $10-$25, adolescent HPV16, 18 vaccination would be cost-effective even in relatively poor countries. Concerns about financial costs and affordability highlight the need for lowering vaccine prices, cost-efficient mechanisms for delivery of vaccinations to adolescents, and creative sources of financing. (C) 2008 Reproductive Health Matters. All rights reserved.