This paper examines the political economy of epidemic disease. First, it outlines the incentive and information problems facing policymakers in responding to a new epidemic. Second, it considers the existence of a possible tradeoff between public health and freedom. Informed by a survey of the...

Over the first half of March 2021, the majority of European governments suspended Astrazeneca's Vaxzevria vaccine as a precaution following media reports of rare blood clots. We analyse the impact of the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) March 18th statement assuring the public of the safety of...

Health services are largely tax-financed in the United Kingdom and account for 14 per cent of general government spending. This paper analyses how the National Health Service (NHS) has been dealing with the associated expenditure pressures in the pre-1990 set-up and during the “quasi-market”...

Over the first half of March 2021, the majority of European governments suspended Astrazeneca's Vaxzevria vaccine as a precaution following media reports of rare blood clots. We analyse the impact of the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) March 18th statement assuring the public of the safety of...

The absent or poorly functioning risk pooling mechanisms and high amounts of out-of-pocket payments for health care expose households to financial risks associated with major illnesses or accidents. The aim of this paper is to analyse the extent to which out-of-pocket health spending impoverish...

The major aims of the universal health care coverage (UC) program initiated in Thailand in 2002 are not only to increase the access of people to essential health services, but also to reduce the financial risk they face due to out-of-pocket payments for health care. This study employed secondary...

Lodhran/Rahim Yar Khan (RYK) model of primary healthcare is a home-grown experiment in Pakistan. The model envisaged transferring the management of primary healthcare facilities to a public sector NGO. The paper finds that through the re-alignment of interest groups, the model was replicated in...

This symposium article recounts recent litigation by several states over a provision of the Medicare Modernization Act Part D prescription drug benefit: The clawback, which requires states to pay the a potentially substantial portion of new federal program. I then examine the unique federalism...

Germany’s healthcare system is praised as one of the best in the world. In this article, we review Germany’s health system by critically analysing its structure, funding, resource allocation, provider payments, efficiency, health outcomes, and access. Whilst health provision and access are...

This paper provides an overview of the Global Leadership Adventures (GLA) Public Health Service Initiative that I have participated in, including a retrospective assessment of its effectiveness based on survey data. “Voluntourism”- a form of tourism in which travelers volunteer in developing...