A country-wide catch-up hepatitis B vaccination programme in China would save thousands of lives and be cost effective, research from Stanford University has shown (Hepatology 2009 Sep 9, doi:10.1002/hep.23310).

Vaccinating the estimated 150 million children aged 1-19 years who are currently unprotected will cost an estimated $423m (£260m; €281m) but will save the economy $840m, by preventing eight million infections and 65 000 deaths, the researchers found.

Routine free vaccination of babies against the disease began only in 2002, and serological survey data show that 40% of children …