Table 3.

Summary of an economic evaluation of the routine childhood vaccination programme in the US in 2009

Childhood vaccination programme	Payer perspective	Societal perspective
Costs saved	20.3	76.4
Costs of routine immunization programme	6.7	7.5
Net cost savings	13.5	68.8
Benefit–cost ratio	3.0	10.2

Costs are given as 2009 billion US$.

Note: Calculations based on population-based vaccination coverage, published vaccine efficacies, historical data on disease incidence before vaccination, and disease incidence reported during 2005–2009. Programme costs included vaccine, administration, vaccine-associated adverse events, and parent travel and work time lost. Three percent annual discount rate (15).