(2) whether the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has carried out a cost-benefit analysis into the effects of carrying out a UK-wide mass immunisation scheme for (a) chickenpox, (b) rotavirus and (c) influenza.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has commissioned an expert subgroup to look at the benefits of vaccinating children with chickenpox vaccine and the benefits of vaccinating older adults with a vaccine to protect against Shingles.
An expert subgroup has reviewed the evidence on the benefits of vaccinating children with Rotavirus vaccine, including two published papers1 on the cost-effectiveness of introducing Rotavirus vaccination in the United Kingdom. This will be presented to JCVI at a future meeting.
Influenza immunisation has been recommended in the UK since the late 1960s, with the aim of directly protecting those at a higher risk of serious morbidity and mortality. The JCVI regularly appraise the benefits of flu vaccination among groups considered to be at risk.
1 Jit M, Edmunds WJ Evaluating rotavirus vaccination in England and Wales. Part II. The potential cost-effectiveness of vaccination.
Vaccine. 2007 May 16;25(20):3971-9. Epub 2007 Mar 13.
PMID: 17400341 (PubMed—in process)
Harris JP, Jit M, Cooper D, Edmunds WJ. Evaluating rotavirus vaccination in England and Wales. Part I. Estimating the burden of disease.
Vaccine. 2007 May 16;25(20):3962-70. Epub 2007 Mar 15.
PMID: 17395343 (PubMed—in process)