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In substance abuse treatment programs, monetary incentives increase rates of abstention and other desirable outcomes, including immunization against hepatitis B virus. But such incentives are not in widespread use.
In 2011 and 2012, 12 opioid-replacement clinics in the U.K. offered accelerated HBV immunization (doses on days 0, 7, and 21) to eligible new patients. Clinics were randomized to offer no monetary incentives (usual care), a fixed payment of £10 (US$17) for each vaccine dose completed on schedule, or an escalating incentive (£5, £10, and £15) for each successive dose completed on schedule. A total of 210 patients participated.
At 28 days after randomization, rates of completion of all three doses were 9% in usual-care clinics, 45% i…