However, there is no data in the literature on the impact of hepatitis A universal vaccination program for such long time. The oldest programs have been implemented in the late 1990s [2] and [5]. In case of decline of protection over time, a shift in the age of new infections to older age groups, which may have more severe illness, may occur. In other economic studies, varying the rates of waning immunity in the sensitivity

analysis had no impact on cost-effectiveness ratio [34]. The hepatitis A vaccine is commercially available in single-dose vials, which reduces waste, but it occupies more space in the cold chain than vaccines presented in multi-dose vials. Additionally, due to recent introductions into the national childhood immunization schedule, of the 10-valent GDC 0199 pneumococcal conjugate and meningococcal C conjugate vaccines, both also available in single dose vials, the cold chain is currently already under great Androgen Receptor Antagonist nmr stress. The introduction of a new vaccine in the program requires a preliminary assessment of the cold chain capacity and the required adjustments and investments, which were not considered in our analyses. The first dose of the vaccine was assumed to be administered simultaneously to other vaccines already incorporated by the National Immunization Program and would not require a new visit to the Vaccination Clinic, but the second

dose would require a specific visit. The transportation cost to the health center to receive the second dose of the vaccine was considered when the analysis is carried out from the society perspective. Indirect costs related to the vaccination process were not included in the analyses considering that the Brazilian Ministry of Health provides standing orders for routine children vaccination, which is administered by nurses in health centers near the families’ home; a pre-vaccination medical visit is not required and not usual; and the vaccination process is quick.

Therefore, parents do not usually lose a workday to vaccinate their children. Most mafosfamide economic studies of hepatitis A vaccine showed favorable cost-effectiveness results. Universal childhood vaccination against hepatitis A was shown a cost-saving strategy in areas of higher incidence of disease in Argentina [29] and USA [35] and [36]. In China, the immunization program has proved to be cost-saving in areas of lowest, low, intermediate and high endemicity of hepatitis A [37]. In other contexts, the parameters that mostly influenced the results of economic evaluations were administration cost and cost per vaccine dose, followed by the incidence of disease and medical costs, as in this study. The regional analysis showed some differences in the impact of a universal hepatitis A vaccination program in Brazil. Greater reduction in the number of icteric cases and deaths are expected in the “North” area. The results of the South model were more robust than the North and national models.