title: The contention within health economics: a micro-economic foundation using a macro-economic analysis.
abstract: Health economists claim to use market economics combined with the micro-economic concepts of opportunity cost and the margin to advise on priority setting. However, they are advising on setting priorities through a macro-economic analysis using the costs of the supplier, thus prioritising the producer and not the consumer as the dynamic of economic activity. For health economists any contention within priority setting is due to lack of data not their confusion over fundamental concepts.
authors.affiliation: Centre for International Health studies, Queen Margaret College, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: I L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Yaxley
mesh_terms: D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D015276:Health Care Rationing; D019981:Health Care Sector; D006292:Health Priorities; D018803:Models, Economic; D006113:United Kingdom