Economics of Integration of Immunization

The EPIC team at CHDS, led by CHDS faculty Stephen Resch, performed a systematic review of literature to describe research on the costs and cost-effectiveness of integrating immunization with primary health care services in low- and middle-income countries. With support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CHDS research staff Mary Caroline Regan and Allison Portnoy reviewed over 2,000 abstracts to gain insight into gaps in the literature and found only four papers that met inclusion criteria. While these studies did report some cost-effectiveness information, there are limited conclusions that can be drawn without comparisons of integrated versus non-integrated delivery in a standardized framework, which limits the ability to directly inform policies around integration.

After identifying this gap, the EPIC team convened experts around the globe to describe the current state of knowledge regarding the economics of integration of immunization and PHC and what the strategic gaps are for understanding a successful transition to integrated delivery from an economic perspective. A white paper detailing the review and subsequent convening has been published on Gates Open Research.

Learn more: Read the Immunization Economics news brief
Learn more: Read the full report, Landscape Report on the Economics of Integration of Immunization and Primary Health Care Services in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

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