title: Prevention of the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome in Australia: a cost-benefit analysis.
abstract: The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recently has recommended that thiamin be added to cask and flagon wines, fortified wines, beer and flour. This paper presents a cost-benefit analysis of the fortification of alcoholic beverages with thiamin. A total cost-saving in present-value terms of between $60 million and $600 million in 1985 Australian dollars has been calculated. Considerable methodological problems are associated with this type of analysis, and these are discussed. However, the cost-benefit ratio under a range of plausible assumptions remains extremely high--in the region of six to one to 30 to one, or even higher. The methods that are used are compared with those of a 1978 US study, which is appraised critically. The fortification programme that was recommended by the NHMRC is supported strongly on economic grounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics, University of Adelaide, SA.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Yellowlees
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D001515:Beer; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005433:Flour; D005526:Food, Formulated / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007326:Institutionalization / Q000191:economics; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000191:economics; D013831:Thiamine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014899:Wernicke Encephalopathy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014920:Wine
chemical_list: D013831:Thiamine