Cost-effectiveness of vaccination versus treatment of influenza in healthyadolescents and adults

At present time, there is uncertainty regarding whether influenza-like illn ess in healthy adults is best managed by preventive efforts that use the tr ivalent influenza vaccine, administration of neuraminidase inhibitors at th e onset of illness, or recommendation of supportive care alone at the onset of illness. We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis that examined these 3 strategies for managing influenza-like illness. Vaccination with inactiv ated trivalent vaccine would save approximately $25 per person while result ing in a net gain of similar to3.2 quality-adjusted hours relative to provi ding treatment with the neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir. A quality-adju sted hour is a fraction of a quality-adjusted life-year, which is the equiv alent of 1 year lived in perfect health. Treatment with oseltamivir was ass ociated with an incremental cost-effectiveness of approximately $27,619 per quality-adjusted life-year gained relative to providing supportive care. V accination is cost-saving relative to providing either treatment with oselt amivir or providing supportive care alone.