David Leonhardt claims that research into the effectiveness of different treatment options would “tell us how to reduce spending without damaging people’s health.” Nonsense. Medical-effectiveness research will simply provide the government with cover to ration treatment. That’s exactly what happens in other countries.
Last year, Britain’s medical-effectiveness agency, the National Institute of Clinical Effectiveness, announced that it wouldn’t pay for four new kidney cancer drugs — despite the objections of many British oncologists — because they cost too much.
Today, just one of those drugs is covered. Unsurprisingly, Britain’s survival rate for 13 of the 16 most prominent cancers dramatically trails that of the United States.
Sally C. Pipes
President and Chief Executive
Pacific Research Institute
San Francisco, May 13, 2009
Nothing contained in this blog is to be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of the Pacific Research Institute or as an attempt to thwart or aid the passage of any legislation.
Taming Runaway Health Care Costs
Sally C. Pipes
The New York Times, May 16, 2009
To the Editor:
David Leonhardt claims that research into the effectiveness of different treatment options would “tell us how to reduce spending without damaging people’s health.” Nonsense. Medical-effectiveness research will simply provide the government with cover to ration treatment. That’s exactly what happens in other countries.
Last year, Britain’s medical-effectiveness agency, the National Institute of Clinical Effectiveness, announced that it wouldn’t pay for four new kidney cancer drugs — despite the objections of many British oncologists — because they cost too much.
Today, just one of those drugs is covered. Unsurprisingly, Britain’s survival rate for 13 of the 16 most prominent cancers dramatically trails that of the United States.
Sally C. Pipes
President and Chief Executive
Pacific Research Institute
San Francisco, May 13, 2009
Nothing contained in this blog is to be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of the Pacific Research Institute or as an attempt to thwart or aid the passage of any legislation.