Treacle and smallpox

two tests for multi-criteria decision analysis models in health technology assessment

Alec Morton

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

13 Citations (Scopus)
12 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) is, rightly, receiving increasing attention in Health Technology Assessment. However, a distinguishing feature of the health domain is that technologies must actually improve health, and good performance on other criteria cannot compensate for failure to do so. We argue for two reasonable tests for MCDA models: the treacle test (can a winning intervention be incompletely ineffective?) and the smallpox test (can a winning intervention be for a disease which no one suffers from?). We explore why models might fail such tests (as the models of some existing published studies would do) and offer some suggestions as to how practice should be improved.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)512-515
Number of pages4
JournalValue in Health
Volume30
Issue number3
Early online date20 Dec 2016
Publication statusPublished - 31 Mar 2017

Fingerprint

Multi-criteria Decision Analysis
Biomedical Technology Assessment
Smallpox
Decision Support Techniques
Decision theory
Health
Technology
Model
Multi-criteria decision analysis
Health technology assessment

Keywords

  • multicriteria decision analysis
  • health technology assessment
  • health improvement
  • decision making framework

Cite this

Morton, Alec. / Treacle and smallpox : two tests for multi-criteria decision analysis models in health technology assessment. In: Value in Health. 2017 ; Vol. 30, No. 3. pp. 512-515.
@article{d272d429648242d0a42c8f2686060e75,
title = "Treacle and smallpox: two tests for multi-criteria decision analysis models in health technology assessment",
abstract = "Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) is, rightly, receiving increasing attention in Health Technology Assessment. However, a distinguishing feature of the health domain is that technologies must actually improve health, and good performance on other criteria cannot compensate for failure to do so. We argue for two reasonable tests for MCDA models: the treacle test (can a winning intervention be incompletely ineffective?) and the smallpox test (can a winning intervention be for a disease which no one suffers from?). We explore why models might fail such tests (as the models of some existing published studies would do) and offer some suggestions as to how practice should be improved.",
keywords = "multicriteria decision analysis, health technology assessment, health improvement, decision making framework",
author = "Alec Morton",
year = "2017",
month = "3",
day = "31",
language = "English",
volume = "30",
pages = "512--515",
journal = "Value in Health",
issn = "1098-3015",
number = "3",

}

Morton, A 2017, 'Treacle and smallpox: two tests for multi-criteria decision analysis models in health technology assessment', Value in Health, vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 512-515.

Treacle and smallpox : two tests for multi-criteria decision analysis models in health technology assessment. / Morton, Alec.

In: Value in Health, Vol. 30, No. 3, 31.03.2017, p. 512-515.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

TY - JOUR

T1 - Treacle and smallpox

T2 - two tests for multi-criteria decision analysis models in health technology assessment

AU - Morton, Alec

PY - 2017/3/31

Y1 - 2017/3/31

N2 - Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) is, rightly, receiving increasing attention in Health Technology Assessment. However, a distinguishing feature of the health domain is that technologies must actually improve health, and good performance on other criteria cannot compensate for failure to do so. We argue for two reasonable tests for MCDA models: the treacle test (can a winning intervention be incompletely ineffective?) and the smallpox test (can a winning intervention be for a disease which no one suffers from?). We explore why models might fail such tests (as the models of some existing published studies would do) and offer some suggestions as to how practice should be improved.

AB - Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) is, rightly, receiving increasing attention in Health Technology Assessment. However, a distinguishing feature of the health domain is that technologies must actually improve health, and good performance on other criteria cannot compensate for failure to do so. We argue for two reasonable tests for MCDA models: the treacle test (can a winning intervention be incompletely ineffective?) and the smallpox test (can a winning intervention be for a disease which no one suffers from?). We explore why models might fail such tests (as the models of some existing published studies would do) and offer some suggestions as to how practice should be improved.

KW - multicriteria decision analysis

KW - health technology assessment

KW - health improvement

KW - decision making framework

UR - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/10983015

M3 - Article

VL - 30

SP - 512

EP - 515

JO - Value in Health

JF - Value in Health

SN - 1098-3015

IS - 3

ER -

Morton A. Treacle and smallpox: two tests for multi-criteria decision analysis models in health technology assessment. Value in Health. 2017 Mar 31;30(3):512-515.

Access to Document