Cost-effectiveness analysis of COVID-19 booster vaccination with BNT162b2 in Japan

ABSTRACT

Background

The aim of this study was to evaluate the public health and economic impact of the COVID-19 booster vaccination with BNT162b2 in Japan during an Omicron-dominant period from early 2022.

Research design and methods

A combined cohort Markov decision tree model estimated the cost-effectiveness of annual or biannual booster vaccination strategies compared to no booster vaccination for those aged 65 years and above, and those aged 60–64 years at high risk as the base case. The societal perspective was primarily considered. We also examined other target populations with different age and risk groups. Sensitivity and scenario analyses with alternative inputs were performed.

Results

Annual and biannual vaccination strategies were dominant from the societal perspective in the base case. Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratios (ICERs) from the payer perspective were JPY 1,752,499/Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY) for annual vaccination and JPY 2,831,878/QALY for biannual vaccination, both less than the threshold value in Japan (JPY 5 million/QALY). The results were consistent even when examining other target age and risk groups. All sensitivity and scenario analyses indicated that ICERs were below JPY 5 million/QALY.

Conclusions

Booster vaccination with the COVID-19 vaccine BNT162b2 is a dominant strategy and beneficial to public health in Japan.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• SARS-CoV-2
• vaccine
• booster
• cost-effectiveness
• Japan

Declaration of interests

M Nagano, K Kamei, C Takahashi and N Yonemoto are full-time employees of Pfizer Japan Inc. K Wada was a full-time employee of Pfizer Japan Inc. when the study was conducted. M Nagano and K Kamei hold Pfizer stock, and C Takahashi and N Yonemoto hold stock and stock options from Pfizer Inc. H Matsuda is a full-time employee of IQVIA Solutions Japan G.K., was employed and compensated for conducting the study and medical writing support from Pfizer Japan Inc. Y Jingyan is a full-time employee of Pfizer Inc.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Author contributions

All named authors take responsibility for the integrity of the work as a whole and have given final approval for this version to be published. All authors conceived and designed the study, populated the model inputs, and reviewed the manuscript.

Acknowledgments

The authors’ appreciation goes to Karin Matsumoto of IQVIA Solutions G.K. for the project management of this study, Kanae Togo and Masashi Mikami of Pfizer Japan Inc. for data analysis for cost parameters, Kosuke Tanabe of Pfizer Japan Inc. for providing his medical opinions, and Ataru Igarashi of the Department of Public Health, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, and the Department of Health Economics and Outcomes Research, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo for providing valuable scientific advice.

Supplementary Material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/14760584.2024.2323133

Additional information

Funding

This paper was funded by Pfizer Japan Inc.