A Dose of Economics

Healthcare systems globally are responsible for nearly 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Understandably, many health systems have responded by setting net zero targets – but reaching those targets requires coordinated action across many parts of the healthcare ecosystem.   As part of those efforts, should environmental impacts be taken into consideration when assessing the value of new health...

Prevention is often great value for money. And yet, countries all around the world are failing to properly invest in it, and their healthcare systems are paying the price.     Grace Hampson is joined by Gundo Weiler, Director of Prevention and Health Promotion at the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe, and Graham Cookson, Chief Executive of the Office of Health Economics, t...

Health technology assessment (HTA) is the process by which health systems evaluate whether new medicines, devices, and other interventions offer good value for money. But the pace of innovation often outruns policy -- new developments in innovative therapies, digital health technologies, and a shifting geopolitical landscape are pushing HTA systems to their limits.   So are they still fit for purp...

In April this year, NICE raised its cost-effectiveness threshold for the first time in 20 years, moving from £20,000-£30,000 per QALY to £25,000–£35,000 per QALY. On paper, it’s not a big difference. But the fact that there was a change, and how it came about ,  is significant.     Grace Hampson is joined by Adrian Towse, who ran OHE as its Director for many years, and Chris Sampson, Senior Princi...

How do we actually measure health? And in health economics, what is the difference between measuring health and assigning a value to it?    Grace Hampson is joined by David Mott, Associate Director at OHE, as well as Hannah Hussain, an Economist at OHE, both part of OHE’s Measuring and Valuing Outcomes team. They’ll unpack how health economists measure and value health, and why getting this right...

AI is already reshaping how healthcare policy works. The question is not whether AI will also transform health economics – but how quickly, and whether we are ready for the opportunities and challenges it could bring.  There is incredible potential here, but also real questions about rigour, accountability, and what AI means for people working in this space.     Grace Hampson is joined by Tim Reas...

When healthcare systems assess the value of a new medicine, should they only count the impact on the patient's health and the healthcare budget?     The case for a broader, societal perspective in health technology assessment has been building for years, but so have the arguments against it.     Grace Hampson is joined by Chris Skedgel, a Director at OHE, to dig into one of health economics&#3...

The Joint Clinical Assessment (JCA) is a milestone in European health policy, promising a single shared evaluation of the efficacy and safety of new medicines across EU member states. Theoretically, this should mean consistency for innovators and faster access to medicines for patients. But one year on, how is JCA working in practice, and what needs to happen next?      Grace Hampson is joined by...

Around 5 million deaths per year are linked to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and this number is growing, with AMR-related deaths predicted to surpass deaths from cancer by 2050. And yet, the global pipeline of new antibiotics is critically underdeveloped. So how do we address the problem?  Grace Hampson is joined by Lotte Steuten, Deputy Chief Executive of the Office of Health Economics and David...

US pharmaceutical prices are the highest in the world -- President Trump's Most Favoured Nation (MFN) policy is trying to change that. But what does MFN pricing mean in practice? And what are the global ripple effects on drug innovation and R&D?    Grace Hampson is joined by Neil Grubert and Amanda Cole to talk about the biggest developments in U.S drug pricing policy – and what it means f...

When demand for healthcare is growing but budgets are finite, the "how" and "why" of decision-making matters.  In this first episode, host Grace Hampson, a Director at the Office of Health Economics (OHE), introduces the podcast,   and sets out what you can expect this season.  One question will run through every conversation: what can health economics bring to the most pressin...