Domestic Severe Chickenpox Incidence Rate Decreases by 92% Over 10 Years... "Effect of National Vaccination"

GC Green Cross Data Science Team Research
Selected as Excellent Poster at International Academic Conference

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The incidence rate of varicella with complications in South Korea was found to be about 11 cases per 100,000 people in 2020. Compared to 10 years ago, this represents a 92% decrease, which is interpreted as a positive effect of the national immunization program (NIP) for the varicella vaccine.

GC Green Cross Data Science Team announced on the 24th that they presented the results of a domestic varicella incidence rate study at the International Conference on Pharmacoepidemiology (ICPE 2022) held in Copenhagen, Denmark. The study was selected as an excellent poster (Spotlight poster).

This study analyzed the trend of severe varicella incidence over 10 years using data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. The incidence rate of varicella with complications among children in South Korea significantly decreased from 137 cases per 100,000 in 2010 to 11 cases in 2020.

Additionally, the incidence rate of varicella cases with complications decreased by age group: 96% in ages 0-4, 92% in ages 5-9, and 77-78% in ages 10-19. By disease classification, 'varicella pneumonia' (98%) was the most common, followed by 'other complications' (92%), 'meningitis' (73%), and 'encephalitis, myelitis, and encephalomyelitis' (71%).

South Korea has included the varicella vaccine in the NIP since 2005, providing free vaccination to all infants aged 12 to 15 months. Choi Bong-gyu, head of the GC Green Cross Data Science Team, said, “This is the first time that a study using the international disease classification system has analyzed the trend of varicella incidence including complications after the introduction of the NIP varicella vaccine,” adding, “The decrease in varicella incidence after the introduction of the NIP indirectly proves the effectiveness of the varicella vaccine in South Korea.”

GC Green Cross launched 'Varicella Box,' the second varicella vaccine developed worldwide and the first in South Korea, and upgraded it to 'Varicella Vaccine' in 2020. GC Green Cross holds the number one market share in the domestic varicella vaccine market and is preparing for World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification (PQ) certification to enter the international procurement market with the Varicella Vaccine.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.