| Summary: | Background: Rotavirus is a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis among infants and children under 5 years old. In Norway, there are two vaccines (Rotarix(r) and Rotateq(r)) licensed for preventing rotavirus gastroenteritis. The Norwegian Knowledge Centre for the Health Services was assigned by the National Institute of Public Health to estimate the cost-effectiveness of including vaccination against rotavirus in the childhood immunization programme. Methods: We performed a cost-utility analysis that compared costs and effects of the two vaccine alternatives to a non-vaccination strategy. The analyses were based on a model that estimated costs per quality adjusted life-years for the vaccine candidates. The results were presented as incremental cost-effectiveness ratios, and were presented both from a healthcare and a societal perspective. NOK 500,000 per quality adjusted life-years gained was used as threshold for defining cost-effective interventions. Results Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios from a healthcare perspective: 1. Rotarix(r): NOK 687 500 per quality adjusted life-year gained 2. Rotateq(r): NOK 762,000 per quality adjusted life-year gained Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios from a societal perspective:1. Rotarix(r): NOK 27 500 per quality adjusted life-year gained2. Rotateq(r): NOK 104,000 per quality adjusted life-year gained Conclusions With NOK 500,000 per quality adjusted life-years gained as threshold for cost-effectiveness, it is unlikely that vaccination against rotavirus will be a cost-effective intervention when viewed from a healthcare perspective. However, adopting a societal perspective, which also included indirect costs related to production losses from parent's sick absence, the conclusion was changed to vaccination being considered a cost-effective intervention
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