Since the second edition of this publication appeared in 2002, economic evaluation of new medical technologies as a basis for decisions about their use has expanded to an increasing number of countries and types of technology. At the same time, the methods themselves have evolved in response to experience and to changes in the ability to capture and analyse data.

This book presents a comprehensive overview of today’s approaches to health economic evaluation, illustrated throughout with examples and with guidance about what methods are appropriate in which situations. What distinguishes this book from other such reviews are its fifteen concrete “study examples,” which focus on pharmaceuticals and include cost-of-illness studies, cost-minimization analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-utility analysis and cost-benefit analysis.

Written in an accessible style, the book offers important background both for those who will undertake evaluations and those who will use them as the bases for decisions. The author, Gisela Kobelt, has extensive experience in economic evaluation, making her perspective particularly insightful.

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