Author: Dr. Brett J Skinner, Ph.D.
The cost and use of medical technologies is often blamed for fast rates of growth in healthcare spending. Significant public resources are spent by governments to assess the cost-effectiveness of things like medical devices and pharmaceuticals. Policy makers devote much less effort to assessing the cost-effectiveness of other components of healthcare spending. What is the actual impact of medical technology spending on the cost of healthcare in the context of total health spending? How affordable is medical technology spending in Canada relative to other countries? Is the singular focus and significant public investment of scarce resources devoted to containing the costs of medical technology in Canada justified by the facts? This study examines the evidence regarding medical devices.
