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Ethics and resource allocation: can health care outcomes be QALYfied?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Femi Oyebode
Femi Oyebode*
Affiliation:
Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Mindelsohn Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2QZ
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Abstract

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This paper discusses the theoretical foundation of QALY and examines the assumptions which underlie these theories. It argues that there are methodological flaws in the construction of QALY and that there are inherent risks in its possible application to psychiatry. It also draws attention to fundamental ethical problems with the concept of QALY as a tool for valuing the quality of life or well-being of persons.

Type
Original papers
Information
Psychiatric Bulletin , Volume 18 , Issue 7 , July 1994 , pp. 395 - 398
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1994

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