Cost-effectiveness of maternal vaccine and/or monoclonal antibody strategies against respiratory syncytial virus in Belgian infants
The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) burden and cost-effectiveness of infant RSV immunisation was evaluated by comparing seven strategies in terms of costs and Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) from health care payer's perspective: no universal immunisation, year-round or seasonal maternal vaccination (MV), year-round or seasonal nirsevimab (NmAb) at birth, seasonal NmAb+catch-up for infants ≤ 6-month and a combined MV+NmAb with catch-up strategy. Seasonal NmAb+catch-up averted the most disease, while seasonal MV averted the least, but had the lowest incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (€11,276/QALY gained) at current list prices (MV €186, NmAb €778). Extensive trade-offs between NmAb and MV show at which cost per dose which strategy would be deemed cost-effective. At a willingness to pay of €35,000/QALY gained, seasonal NmAb + catch-up was preferred if NmAb < €210; otherwise, seasonal or year-round MV was preferred when MV < €220 or <€75, respectively. The combined strategy became preferred at low MV and NmAb costs. Besides price level, cost-effectiveness was most sensitive to RSV hospital burden.
Authors
- Nancy Thiry (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-9089-8517)
- Diego Castanares Zapatero
- Lander Willem
- Zhuxin Mao
- Xiao Li
- Philippe Beutels
- Dominique Roberfroid
Institutions
- University of Antwerp (BE)
- Infectious Diseases Institute (UG)
- Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre (KCE) (BE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- npj Vaccines
- Published
- 2026-01-19
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-026-01372-5
- Primary Topic
- Respiratory viral infections research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Yale University
- Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
- Université de Liège
- Universiteit Antwerpen
- Institut National d'assurance Maladie-Invalidité
- Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre