Global, regional, and national impact of the Expanded Programme on Immunization against 14 pathogens from 1974 to 2024: an economic evaluation - PubMed
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- The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024, marking a global effort against infectious diseases.
- An economic evaluation estimated EPI's benefit-cost ratios (BCRs) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) from 1974 to 2024 for 14 pathogens across 194 countries.
- Total EPI costs were $937 billion, offset by $15,050 billion in averted productivity losses due to mortality, yielding an aggregate BCR of 16.06.
- Immunization against all 14 pathogens proved cost-effective, with measles vaccination showing the highest BCR (73.97) and all ICERs below standard thresholds.
- EPI achieved cost savings in all 194 WHO member states, with highest BCRs in the Eastern Mediterranean region (17.22) and low-income countries (23.63).
- The study concludes EPI is highly cost-effective globally, offering life-saving benefits and economic returns, especially in high-burden and low-income settings.