Economic analysis of the 1992-1993 mass immunization campaign against serogroup C meningococcal disease in Quebec

The objective of the study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and utility of the mass immunization campaign performed in the province of Quebec in 1992-1993, following an outbreak of serogroup C meningococcal disease (CMD). Effectiveness data were extracted from a population-based cohort study, and cost estimates were obtained from surveys. Costs of the campaign to the health system were $26 million (1993 Canadian dollars). Between 48 and 74 CMD cases, and between 7 and 11 deaths were prevented in the following 5 years. Net societal costs were between $18 and 21 million (using a 3% discount rate), net costs per death averted were between $1.7 and 3.0 million, between S 58,000 and 105,000 per life-year gained, and between $49,000 and 87,000 per quality-adjusted life-year gained, These economic indices are less favorable than those for current routine immunization programs in Canada, but within the range of those for other common health interventions. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.