Why carry out this study?

• Rotavirus infection is the major cause of rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE), resulting in acute diarrhoea in young children, and is associated with significant health and cost burden in Thailand. • Two vaccines preventing rotavirus, the human rotavirus vaccine (HRV) and the human-bovine reassortant rotavirus vaccine (HBRV) are licensed worldwide and their introduction as universal mass vaccination (UMV) is recommended by the World Health Organization. • The current study aims to evaluate the epidemiological and economic consequences of introducing HRV as part of a UMV programme in Thailand.

What was learned from the study?

• The introduction of HRV as part of a UMV programme is expected to be a cost-effective use of healthcare resources in Thailand, when compared to no vaccination. • The introduction of HRV would result in greater costs than no vaccination but would prevent more RVGE-related hospitalisations and deaths. This would significantly improve the quality of life of Thai children, as well as reducing the burden of treatment costs and caregivers’ productivity losses.