title: [Interest in and limitations of economic assessment applied to the evaluation of medical strategies: examples in oncological hematology].
abstract: Using examples of economic assessment of medical innovations in the field of oncology, haematology and safety of blood products, the article shows that most of these innovations follow a law of diminishing returns: increasing levels of resources must be devoted in order to obtain an additional unit of health benefit (such as a life-year saved by a medical intervention). The article argues that, in such a context, cost-benefit analysis, a standard method in public economics, can be a useful tool to determine the 'optimal' level of resources that should be allocated by society for various medical interventions. In some instances, cost-benefit analysis can help to identify barriers to optimal diffusion of medical innovations that are due to inappropriate incentives and constraints in the management of the healthcare system.
authors.affiliation: Faculté de Sciences Economique & Gestion, Université de la Méditerranée & Unité INSERM 379, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, 232 Bd Sainte-Marguerite, 13273 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Moatti
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005602:France; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy*; D006405:Hematology / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends*