Arguments are being made more frequently to incorporate economic evaluations and quality of life assessments into clinical trials. Using two randomised, multicentre trials of radiotherapy for cancer as an example, this paper outlines: (1) the importance of including such assessments; (2) the...

In the summer of 1990, the Australian government took a major step by requiring evidence of cost-effectiveness of new medicines prior to reimbursement by the public health care system. This paper assesses whether the methodological principles behind the guidelines are sound and whether they...

Disease management is attracting considerable attention from the pharmaceutical industry, which sees this as a way of extending its activities beyond drug development to health care management and organisation. However, it is unclear whether disease management offers advantages to the NHS or...