New treatments: Costs, benefits and decision-making procedures
Journal Article
2003
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Journal Title
South African Medical Journal
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Health and Medical Publishing Group
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University of Cape Town
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Abstract
One hallmark of modern medicine is the ever-rising cost of providing life-saving or life-extending treatments. Advances in medical care and the ability to improve the duration and quality of life, combined with the expectations of both doctors and patients that all new modalities of treatment developed will be implemented in everyday practice, are the major reasons for modern medicine’s becoming so expensive. In these circumstances resource allocation decisions need to be made and appropriate priority-setting processes developed. This challenge faces all societies but most agonisingly middle income countries like South Africa where the expectations of physicians and patients are geared to the best that can be achieved in any country — even the wealthiest. Expensive, new or established standard treatments that may benefit patients may be considered in at least two categories. The first is when each individual patient will be a direct beneficiary. This applies, for example, when a pacemaker or orthopaedic prosthesis is installed, when an organ such as a kidney, heart or liver is transplanted, or when chronic renal dialysis is initiated. While such treatments have some mortality and a measure of sub-optimal results, good outcomes are the rule
Description
Reference:
Benatar, S. R., & Fleischer, T. E. (2003). New treatments: costs, benefits and decision-making procedures: editorial. South African Medical Journal, 93(6), p-433.