Assessing Public Health Impact of Four Pediatric Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccination Strategies in the Netherlands

IntroductionThe 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV10, Synflorix) was introduced into the Dutch pediatric national immunization program (NIP) starting in 2011. However, there is substantial pneumococcal disease burden due to increases in non-PCV10 covered serotypes. Higher-valent vaccines for pediatrics (PCV13, PCV15, and PCV20) may alleviate much of the remaining disease burden upon implementation through broader serotype coverage. This article assesses the public health impact of different pediatric vaccination strategies (switching to PCV13, PCV15 or PCV20) versus maintaining PCV10 at different time intervals in the Netherlands.MethodsA population-based, decision-analytic model was developed using historical pneumococcal disease surveillance data to forecast future invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), pneumonia, and otitis media (OM) cases over a 7-year period (2023-2029) under the following strategies: continued use of PCV10, switching to PCV13 in 2023, switching to PCV15 in 2023, and switching to PCV20 in 2024. Scenario analyses were performed to account for uncertainties in future serotype distributions, disease incidence reductions, and epidemiologic parameters.ResultsSwitching to PCV13 in 2023 was found to avert 26,666 cases of pneumococcal disease compared to continuing PCV10 over a 7-year period (2023-2029). Switching to PCV15 in 2023 was found to avert 30,645 pneumococcal cases over the same period. Switching to PCV20 once available in 2024 was estimated to avert 45,127 pneumococcal cases from 2024-2029. Overall conclusions were maintained after testing uncertainties.ConclusionsFor the Dutch pediatric NIP, switching to PCV13 in 2023 would be an effective strategy compared with continued use of PCV10 for averting pneumococcal disease cases. Switching to PCV20 in 2024 was estimated to avert the most pneumococcal disease cases and provide the highest protection. However, in the face of budget constraints and the undervaluation of prevention strategies, it remains challenging to implement higher valent vaccines. Further research is needed to understand the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of a sequential approach.