Vaccine Cost Calculators: Resources to inform immunization decision-making
Vaccines are one of the best buys in global health. However, different vaccines and vaccination strategies can result in very different costs to a country. When health officials decide which vaccine product to use in their national immunization program, they must consider a variety of cost factors.
PATH’s Vaccine Cost Calculators provide an easy way to assess and compare costs of certain vaccination programs over a period of 10 years with each vaccine product available in the global market. These Excel-based tools are available in multiple languages for rotavirus vaccines, pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, and human papillomavirus vaccines. The tools allow country-level policymakers to input a limited set of local data and then compare products and estimate vaccination program costs for different vaccine products and presentations, exploring multiple vaccine options at a time. The tools can be used by any country interested in comparing different vaccine costs, whether or not the country is eligible for co-funding from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
It is important to note when choosing a vaccine, however, that cost is only one consideration. Users involved in decision-making around new vaccine introduction or product selection should always consider other dimensions (e.g., supply limitations, timing, public acceptance, cold chain considerations) as well. The cost calculators are meant to provide insights into the potential costs of alternative product choices and should not replace detailed, comprehensive budget planning once a product has been selected.
Who are these tools for?
Decision-makers: People who will decide which vaccines are utilized in a national immunization program. Examples: Representatives of funding or regulatory bodies, officials from ministries of health or finance, technical immunization advisory groups (e.g., NITAG, RITAG), parliamentarians, regional health leaders, district health committee members, among others.
Implementers: People who will organize action plans and resources for vaccine introduction and put them into practice. Examples: Ministry of health or finance staff, immunization program (EPI) staff, health economists, healthcare logistics experts, among others.
Technical assistance partners: Anyone aiming to maximize the sustainability of national immunization programs by examining vaccine cost data to inform and influence decision-makers. Examples: Civil society representatives, economics and finance experts, academia, international partners, among others.
Vaccine Cost Calculators
To help navigate the tools, each Excel file includes a tab labeled “READ ME FIRST” which provides detailed instructions on how to use the tool and interpret the results. Tools are available to download in English, French, Spanish, and Russian using the links below. For questions or support, contact PATH's Health Economics & Outcomes Research team: HEOR@path.org.
Note: Please refer to this web page for the most up-to-date version(s) of the PATH Vaccine Cost Calculator(s), which are periodically updated to reflect the evolving vaccine landscape.
Important update as of 21 June 2023: The calculators are currently not properly calculating co-financing amounts for countries in the “accelerated transition” phase of support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. We apologize for this oversight, and we are currently working with Gavi to correct this. In the meantime, please contact your Senior Country Manager at Gavi for assistance with a cost analysis rather than using the calculators.
