Country-level cost-effectiveness thresholds: initial estimates and the need for further research

Healthcare systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face considerable population healthcare needs with markedly fewer resources than those in developed countries. The way in which available resources are allocated across competing priorities is crucial in affecting how much health is generated overall, who receives healthcare interventions and who goes without. Cost-effectiveness thresholds (CETs) represent central measures of value in healthcare systems and can consequently inform a wide range of investment decisions (related to choices of clinical interventions, demand-side measures, provider payments etc.). CETs should reflect the opportunity costs of health benefits forgone due to the commitment of scarce resources to particular investments. However, remarkably little is known about what would represent appropriate CETs, particularly for application in LMICs. In this paper initial estimates for country-level CETs are presented and the need for further research is highlighted. CHE Research Paper 109 (PDF , 2,894kb)

 

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