10.12 Conclusion

Economic evaluation is almost a field on its own. It is a field that is extremely normative and has many guidelines that are built on previous guidelines. The field has continued to evolve in the same direction for years, despite significant research studies showing that decisions based on economic evaluation recommendations have not necessarily been the more desirable nor the most socially acceptable. Many methodological problems are unresolved. Similarly, persistent ethical issues do not seem to influence the practice. However, it is possible to practice economic evaluation in a manner that allows for genuinely information-based and transparent decision-making while considering the full range of the intervention’s impacts.