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Dynamically optimizing the administration of vaccines from multi-dose vials

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Listed:
  • Maryam Mofrad
  • Lisa Maillart
  • Bryan Norman
  • Jayant Rajgopal

Abstract

Many vaccines are manufactured in large, multi-dose vials that once opened, must be used within a matter of hours. As a result, clinicians (especially those in remote locations) face difficult tradeoffs between opening a vial to satisfy a potentially small immediate demand versus retaining the vial to satisfy a potentially large future demand. This article formulates a Markov decision process model that determines when to conserve vials as a function of time of day, the current vial inventory, and the remaining clinic-days until the next replenishment. The objective is to minimize open-vial waste while administering as many vaccinations as possible. It is analytically established that the optimal policy is of a threshold type. Furthermore, an extensive sensitivity analysis is conducted that speaks to the benefits of consolidating demand, investing in buffer stock, and adopting different vial sizes. Lastly, a practical heuristic is evaluated and shown to perform competitively with the optimal policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Maryam Mofrad & Lisa Maillart & Bryan Norman & Jayant Rajgopal, 2014. "Dynamically optimizing the administration of vaccines from multi-dose vials," IISE Transactions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(7), pages 623-635.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:uiiexx:v:46:y:2014:i:7:p:623-635
    DOI: 10.1080/0740817X.2013.849834
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    Cited by:

    1. De Boeck, Kim & Decouttere, Catherine & Vandaele, Nico, 2020. "Vaccine distribution chains in low- and middle-income countries: A literature review," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    2. Zahra Azadi & Harsha Gangammanavar & Sandra Eksioglu, 2020. "Developing childhood vaccine administration and inventory replenishment policies that minimize open vial wastage," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 292(1), pages 215-247, September.
    3. Wang, Xin & Jiang, Ruiwei & Qi, Mingyao, 2023. "A robust optimization problem for drone-based equitable pandemic vaccine distribution with uncertain supply," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    4. Mofrad, Maryam H. & Garcia, Gian-Gabriel P. & Maillart, Lisa M. & Norman, Bryan A. & Rajgopal, Jayant, 2016. "Customizing immunization clinic operations to minimize open vial waste," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 1-17.

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