Objectives: Non-reconstituted, hexavalent vaccines (HV-NRs) can facilitate clinical practice by shortening vaccine preparation and administration time and by reducing the risk of vaccination errors compared to combination vaccines requiring reconstitution. The aim of this study was to determine the budget impact of introducing an HV-NR into the United Kingdom's (UK) pediatric immunization program, which currently uses a hexavalent vaccine requiring reconstitution (HV-R). Methods: Abudget impact model covering a 10-year time horizon was developed. The target population constituted closed UK birth cohorts from 2020 to 2029. Total direct costs from the payer's perspective consisted of four main categories: vaccine acquisition and management, healthcare provider's service provision, (non-)contaminated needle-stick and sharps injury (NSI), and non-NSI vaccination error costs. The net budget impact was calculated by comparing the costs in two different market share scenarios. Results: The use of HV-NR instead of HV-R was estimated to save £9,079,927 over a 10-year time horizon (i.e. £907,993 per year). Assuming all other vaccine criteria are equivalent the budget impact was most sensitive to changes in time spent by the healthcare provider and management costs. Conclusion: Results suggest, introducing an HV-NR into the UK's pediatric immunization program is potentially cost saving for the healthcare system.
Keywords: DTaP; HepB; Hexavalent vaccine; Hib; IPV; budget impact; economic model; health economics; pediatric.