Summaries of Must-Read Clinical Literature, Guidelines, and FDA Actions
Chlamydia Vaccination: Expensive but Effective
J Pediatr Infect Dis Soc; ePub 2017 Sep 7; Ditkowsky, et al
A nationwide program that provides chlamydia vaccines to teenage girls would be expensive, but a recent cost analysis concludes it would likely prevent many deaths and prevent much suffering. Highlights included:
- More than 1.4 million cases of Chlamydia trachomatis infection were reported to the CDC in 2012 alone.
- A statistical analysis that included more than 2 million females between ages 9 and 26 years compared a vaccination arm to a no vaccination arm.
- The vaccination program would cost about $710 million for 2.1 million girls and women over a 17-year period, which would be $41 million more than a no vaccination program.
- Researchers estimate it would prevent 34,000 cases of chlamydia and nearly 6,000 cases of pelvic inflammatory disease.
Citation:
Ditkowsky J, Rahman A, Hammerschlag MR, et al. Cost–benefit analysis of a Chlamydia trachomatis vaccine program in adolescent girls in the United States. [Published online ahead of print September 7, 2017]. J Pediatr Infect Dis Soc. doi.org/10.1093/jpids/pix072.