Core values for vaccine evaluation. (20th January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Timmis, James Kenneth; Rigat, Fabio; Rappuoli, Rino
• Is Part Of: Vaccine. Volume 35(2017)Suuplement 1
• Page Start: A57
• Page End: A62
• Publication Date: 2017-01-20
• Subjects: Vaccine evaluation -- Vaccine policy -- Core values -- Health policy -- Health Technology Assessment (HTA) -- Decision-making -- MCDA -- GH2035; Vaccines -- Periodicals; 615.372
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.11.034
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-410X

Abstract

Highlights: Core values for vaccine evaluation and decision-making are proposed. Survey of vaccine community experts. 2 consecutive quantitative studies based on the Delphi method. Results indicate consensus on 4 universal attributes central to vaccine evaluation. Abstract: Currently, most health economic modelling approaches tend to inadequately incorporate crucial disease-specific criteria and other attributes of benefit resulting from vaccination, which limits their utility for evaluating vaccines and, in consequence, for optimally guiding vaccine decision-making. Additionally, vaccine evaluation methods are frequently poorly standardised and non-transparent, leading to a potentially low level of accountability that can hinder acceptance of resulting decisions. To address these issues, we have considered whether it is possible to identify a set of universal vaccine-disease considerations, which we have called Core Values . To begin to identify such a set of criteria, and to establish whether strong agreement around such core values exists, we conducted two studies based on the Delphi technique. Both studies surveyed a cohort consisting of expert members of the global vaccine community with diverse professional backgrounds. Formal statistical analysis of both studies identified four attributes with strong agreement: 1. Incidence disease cases prevented per year, 2. Cost-effectiveness (including cost-benefit and cost-utility analysis), 3. High mortality disease (case-fatality-rate), and 4. Severity of target disease (risk of morbidity and mortality) . These results suggest the feasibility of identifying a clear consensus on a specific set of Core Values for Vaccine Evaluation .