Vaccines will save $350 billion in healthcare costs by 2020, and will have a broader economic and social impact of saving lives and preventing disabilities of $820 billion

(United Press International) — New research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shows that vaccines in the world’s poorest countries will have prevented 20 million deaths by 2020.

The study, published this week in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, found that vaccination efforts since 2001 not only saved lives, but will also have saved $350 billion in healthcare costs by 2020 with a larger economic and social value of lives saved and disabilities prevented of $820 billion.

“Vaccination is generally regarded to be one of the most cost-effective interventions in public health,” Sachiko Ozawa, an associate professor of the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, said in a press release. “Decision-makers need to appreciate the full potential economic benefits that are likely to result from the introduction and sustained use of any vaccine or vaccination program.”

Researchers analyzed the impact of Gavi, the global vaccine alliance launched in 2000 to provide vaccines to children in the world’s poorest countries. With Gavi, 580 million children have been vaccinated in 73 countries.

The savings, calculated in 2010 U.S. dollars, include averted treatment, transportation costs, productivity losses of caregivers and those due to disability and death. (…)