title: A policy case study of blood in Australia.
abstract: In 2008 the Australian government decided to remove white blood cells from all blood products. This policy of universal leucodepletion was a change to the existing policy of supplying leucodepleted products to high risk patients only. The decision was made without strong information about the cost-effectiveness of universal leucodepletion. The aims for this policy analysis are to generate cost-effectiveness data about universal leucodepletion, and to add to our understanding of the role of evidence and the political reality of healthcare decision-making in Australia. The cost-effectiveness analysis revealed universal leucodepletion costs $398,943 to save one year of life. This exceeds the normal maximum threshold for Australia. We discuss this result within the context of how policy decisions are made about blood, and how it relates to the theory and process of policy making. We conclude that the absence of a strong voice for cost-effectiveness was an important omission in this decision.
authors.affiliation: Queensland University of Technology, Australia. n.graves@qut.edu.au
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Graves
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Clare
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haines
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bird
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003657:Decision Making; D006291:Health Policy / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D047589:Leukocyte Reduction Procedures / Q000191:economics*; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D011050:Policy Making; D011057:Politics