~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This message is from PedTalk! To reply to the group, use "" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I don't dispute that 1) the vaccine is effective 2) the vaccine is safe. 3) that it may spare the lives of 50-100 children a year who might die of varicella complications. My problem is that one of the main reasons this was justified by the Red Book committee is the "cost-effectiveness" based on a few (3!!) studies using some epidmiologic/economic modelling techniques. Given a cohort of about 3 million kids a year who would need vaccination, at roughly $50 a pop, we're talking about $150 million A YEAR to prevent 50-100 deaths. Right off the top of my head I can think of a bunch of ways that money could be spent to save a heck of a lot more lives.