Table 5. Cost of postexposure rabies prophylaxis, the Philippines, 2007.

Exposure categorya	Cost in US$ per patient (treatment specifics)			Savings per patient (weight range: 26–50 kg) who had pre-exposure prophylaxis
	Patients who had pre-exposure prophylaxis	Patients (weight range: 26–50 kg) who did not have pre-exposure prophylaxis		US$	(%)
Category II	3.19 (2 intradermal doses of PCECV or PVRV at US$ 1.59 per dose; no RIG)	12.76 (8 intradermal doses of PCECV or PVRV at US$ 1.59 per dose; no RIG)		4.80	38
Category III	3.19 (2 intradermal doses of PCECV or PVRV at US$ 1.59 per dose; no RIG)	51.76 (8 intradermal doses PCECV or PVRV at US$ 1.59 per dose; 2 vials of ERIG at US$ 19.52 per vial)		43.80	85

ERIG: equine rabies immunoglobulin; PCECV: purified chick embryo cell vaccine; PVRV: purified Vero cell rabies vaccine; RIG: rabies immunoglobulin; US$: United States dollar.

^a Category-II exposure is defined as nibbling of uncovered skin, minor scratches or abrasions without bleeding and category-III exposure, as single or multiple transdermal bites or scratches, contamination of mucous membranes with saliva from licks, licks on broken skin, exposures to bats.⁵

Notes: The percentage saving is the cost saving divided by the cost of postexposure prophylaxis in a patient who did not have pre-exposure prophylaxis × 100. Prices were converted at a rate of US$ 1 per 47.65 Philippine pesos. The cost of postexposure rabies prophylaxis was the cost at bite centres taking part in a national pre-exposure rabies prophylaxis programme for high-risk populations, which was lower than in hospitals and private bite centres. The cost of pre-exposure rabies prophylaxis was US$ 4.77 per patient (US$ 1.59 per intradermal dose × 3). In calculating savings, the cost of pre-exposure prophylaxis was taken into account.