OT-ish - insight into NICE's methods (uk).

For anyone who might be interested this is a short (10 minute) radio
clip - the main news bulletin slot on R4's Today - which throws a
little extra light on the mechanisms for rationing the NHS in the UK,
focusing on a group of apparently effective life-extending drugs for
kidney cancer which NICE has deemed too expensive.

No shocks or big surprises but I thought it interesting that life and
death decisions could be made in such an openly formulaic way
introducing as it does the 'qaly', a well defined unit of health
benefit...new to me, anyway. Of course government tax'n'spend vs
insurance is, as always, at the core of this but where our own welfare
is concerned it doesn't prevent us viewing the issue irrationally. A
patient:"..to deny anyone the chance that it could prolong life is
unforgivable....just because of the cost....".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today...00/7546677.stm