Immunization Economics

Immunization is one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions in history, responsible for substantial improvements in population health and welfare. The Immunization Economics SIG provides a forum for widespread dissemination and exchange on relevant vaccine and immunization economic research (costs, equity, social and economic benefits, financing); new methods, approaches, and practices; and, a forum for capacity-building and mentoring of junior researchers. In this SIG, we also will leverage lessons learned from the economics and financing of PHC and other priority health issues.

About

The Immunization Economics SIG provides a forum for an exchange of relevant research methods and practices, as well as disseminate results to a broader audience. In addition, the SIG will cultivate new researcher interest in the area of vaccine economics, and leverage lessons learned from other priority health issues.

Objectives of the Immunization Economics Special Interest Group

Immunization Economics SIG has three (3) central aims:

1. CONNECT

To attract and connect more international researchers in economics and related disciplines from low- and high-income countries to work on immunization research, and to utilize IHEA as one of the regular engagements for the broader immunization community to share and disseminate relevant research and methods, when it relates to economics.

2. INFORM

To keep IHEA members up to date with the latest developments in research on immunization value, costing, financing, and efficiency, while providing a forum for IHEA congress participants interested in the application of methods and the topic of immunization economics. 

3. COLLABORATE

To encourage collaboration among and between IHEA and the broader Immunization Economics Community of Practice members on projects that generate rigorous new evidence in immunization economics, and on projects to identify best practices in associated research methodologies and policy implementation. New connections between researchers engaged in immunization economics and with those of other disciplines will expand the use of methods and applicability to immunization and other subjects.

This Special Interest Group works closely with the Immunization Economics Community of Practice (COP), learn more about this COP here: https://immunizationeconomics.org.

RESEARCH PRIORITIES

During the discussion at the IHEA 2023 Immunization Economics pre-congress, participants identified a number of key global evidence gaps that our community could help fill, although research priorities will ultimately need to be determined at country level:

  • The cost, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency of reaching zero dose children in different contexts, including targeted local interventions, campaigns, but also strengthening the PHC system.
  • Integration of services, even beyond health, as opposed to the incremental cost of adding immunization services, and lessons learned from the C19 pandemic around this.
  • Cost, cost-effectiveness, and investment cases of new vaccines will remain necessary as they enter the market or as their recommended schedules change.
  • The rate of return of investing in stockpiles of vaccines (such as those of yellow fever and cholera vaccines, Ebola, etc.)
  • Increased focus on developing economic evidence for subnational level stakeholders and implementers.
  • Evidence around budget execution and practical experiences at national and subnational levels, and identifying best practices in improving the use of evidence in planning, budgeting, and decision-making.

Activities

IHEA 2023 Pre-Congress in Cape Town, South Africa

The IHEA 2023 Pre-Congress was held by the SIG on 8-9 July in Cape Town, South Africa. Over 150 participants from 42 countries convened for presentations, posters and discussions on matters such as the cost of reaching zero-dose children, the latest COVID-19 vaccine delivery costing research and collaborating as a community of practice. The objectives for the event were as follows:

  • discuss the latest research methods and approaches in immunization costing, financing, economics, and decision-making;
  • share successes and challenges in evidence generation and use to help identify best practices;
  • align on research priorities and approaches.

Click here to access the materials.

IHEA 2019 Pre-Congress in Basel, Switzerland

In 2019, the Pre-Congress was organized by the SIG on July 13-14 in Basel, Switzerland. The audience spanned from early career to seasoned researchers, EPI managers, policymakers, multinational organizations, and donors. The program included:

  • featured updates on research findings, methodology, and cases;
  • concurrent sessions on economic analysis refresher course and implementation/advocacy workshop;
  • panel sessions on effective dissemination and future direction.

Click here to access the materials.

Webinars and research materials

  • Integrating economic and epidemiological objectives in the optimal response to pandemics – November 17, 2021 
  • Costs of RTS,S malaria vaccination in the three malaria vaccine implementation countries – November 3, 2021
  • Costing of COVID-19 vaccine introduction and deployment: Lessons from Ghana – October 6, 2021
  • Measuring inequity in vaccination coverage & cost-of-illness: An introduction to the VERSE toolkit – October 6, 2021
  • Disruptions to childhood immunization during the COVID-19 pandemic: Health impact modeling and economic perspectives – September 22, 2021
  • Estimating the cost of delivering COVID-19 vaccine in COVAX 92 AMC countries – September 15, 2021
  • Developing Strategies for Effective and Efficient Immunization Against COVID-19 – July 17, 2020
  • Considerations for future SARS-CoV-2 vaccines: a private sector perspective – May 12, 2020

Latest News

Call for resources: ThinkWell is inviting researchers to submit evidence on the cost of delivering immunization services

Thank you to the pre-congress contributors and 150+ attendees! Look back at the presentations and posters

Registration is closed for the IHEA 2023 Immunization Economics Pre-Congress

Convenors

The following convenors help guide SIG activities:

Logan Brenzel
Laura Boonstoppel
Stephen Resch
Christian Suharlim