Define the term 'opportunity cost'. 2. Explain why the NHS has to make 'tough choices' about what it offers patients. 3. Discuss, from an economic viewpoint, whether it should be a committee of cancer experts that decides which drugs should be offered on the NHS or an independent cormittee like NICE.

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Q 1. Define the term 'opportunity cost'. 2. Explain why the NHS has to make 'tough choices' about what it offers patients. 3. Discuss, from an economic viewpoint, whether it should be a committee of cancer experts that decides which drugs should be offered on the NHS or an independent cormittee like NICE.
Unit 3
Data Response Question
The National Health Service faces tough choices
Politicians and health officials must
be more honest with the public about
the tough choices facing the National
Health Service (NHS), according to Sir
Andrew Dillon, the head of NICE (the
National Institute for Health and Care
Excellence). It is the responsibility of
NICE to decide which drugs are value
for money and can be prescribed by
the NHS and which drugs will not be
available to NHS patients.
Andrew said: The NHS has to exercise
choices, sometimes, in order to ensure
its resources are allocated as fairly as
possible. The NHS spends £13 billion
a year on pharmaceuticals, about
12 per cent of its total budget.
It was reported this month that
NICE ruled that two cancer drugs
- Zytiga® for prostate cancer and
Kadcyla® for breast cancer - were
not cost-effective for the NHS, the
latest expensive cancer medicines to
be rejected by the agency. Roche, the
Swiss pharmaceuticals company, said
the refusal to back its Kadcyla drug,
which typically extends life by about six
months at a cost of £90 000, showed
that the UK's drug evaluation system
was 'no longer fit for purpose'.
It has been suggested that the price of
new medicines will continue rising -
particularly for cancer - because drug
companies expect to make a profit
on their heavy investment in research
and development. Sir Andrew pointed
out that, whatever the funding for
the NHS, there will always be an
'opportunity cost'. Choosing to expand
treatment in one area meant that
'something else cannot be done.
Source: adapted from the Financial Times
23.8.2014, All Rights Reserved.
16
1. Define the term 'opportunity cost'.
2. Explain why the NHS has to make
'tough choices' about what it
offers patients.
3. Discuss, from an economic
viewpoint, whether it should be
a committee of cancer experts
that decides which drugs should
be offered on the NHS or an
independent committee like NICE.
ang p
rease the va
derm
wiw OFENSIVE T
Evaluation
It is very important in a question like this
to use economic terms like scarcity, choice,
opportunity cost and positive and normative
statements. What value judgements do
you think the two types of committee
would make? Would they come to different
conclusions about a drug like Kadcyla?
Would it be in the best interests of all NHS
potients if choices about which drugs to buy
were made by cancer experts?
02:0
al gobaby s prilap to insbutą Speisva od:
no ar
Transcribed Image Text:Unit 3 Data Response Question The National Health Service faces tough choices Politicians and health officials must be more honest with the public about the tough choices facing the National Health Service (NHS), according to Sir Andrew Dillon, the head of NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence). It is the responsibility of NICE to decide which drugs are value for money and can be prescribed by the NHS and which drugs will not be available to NHS patients. Andrew said: The NHS has to exercise choices, sometimes, in order to ensure its resources are allocated as fairly as possible. The NHS spends £13 billion a year on pharmaceuticals, about 12 per cent of its total budget. It was reported this month that NICE ruled that two cancer drugs - Zytiga® for prostate cancer and Kadcyla® for breast cancer - were not cost-effective for the NHS, the latest expensive cancer medicines to be rejected by the agency. Roche, the Swiss pharmaceuticals company, said the refusal to back its Kadcyla drug, which typically extends life by about six months at a cost of £90 000, showed that the UK's drug evaluation system was 'no longer fit for purpose'. It has been suggested that the price of new medicines will continue rising - particularly for cancer - because drug companies expect to make a profit on their heavy investment in research and development. Sir Andrew pointed out that, whatever the funding for the NHS, there will always be an 'opportunity cost'. Choosing to expand treatment in one area meant that 'something else cannot be done. Source: adapted from the Financial Times 23.8.2014, All Rights Reserved. 16 1. Define the term 'opportunity cost'. 2. Explain why the NHS has to make 'tough choices' about what it offers patients. 3. Discuss, from an economic viewpoint, whether it should be a committee of cancer experts that decides which drugs should be offered on the NHS or an independent committee like NICE. ang p rease the va derm wiw OFENSIVE T Evaluation It is very important in a question like this to use economic terms like scarcity, choice, opportunity cost and positive and normative statements. What value judgements do you think the two types of committee would make? Would they come to different conclusions about a drug like Kadcyla? Would it be in the best interests of all NHS potients if choices about which drugs to buy were made by cancer experts? 02:0 al gobaby s prilap to insbutą Speisva od: no ar
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