Economic and cost-effectiveness aspects of vaccines in combating antibiotic resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health threat causing substantial morbidity and mortality as well as significant economic costs. Vaccines can contribute to combating antimicrobial resistance by reducing the incidence of resistant disease cases and lowering overall antibiotic use. Greater utilization and investments in vaccines as a tool for combating AMR might be hampered by limited economic evidence demonstrating the AMR-related value of vaccines. We reviewed the existing literature to assess the state of evidence. We found two modeling studies that provided estimates of AMR-related costs averted by pneumococcal vaccination and a few cost-effectiveness studies that exclusively focused on serotype replacement effects on overall vaccine cost-effectiveness.