I have been gripped by the World Oddometer’s daily reports tracking the covid statistics. In a way it was a rejection of Stalin’s ‘one death is a tragedy; a million is a statistic’; I have watched with agony the paths of various countries. But this statistician knew that the data reflected reported deaths from covid,…
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I was writing almost weekly about the Covid Crisis during its peak of between March and June 2020. Not that I had any technical expertise in the area (in the following please allow for that) but its impact on economics areas where I had some expertise was great. Here is a list of the Pundit…
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This note is written in response to a request about the details of how to do a social cost study on alcohol (misuse). It is written by an economist who has long been involved in the area both theoretically and practically. [1] The point of this note is that it is important to understand that…
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The following are various columns on my Pundit website which involve health economics. What is the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder? (7 November 2014) The Cost of Demanding More Health Care (10 November, 2014) Prolongation of Life and the Quality of Life (28 November, 2014) Thrive: The Power of Psychological Therapy (November 2, 2015) Are we spending enough…
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Wellington School of Medicine Summer School 22 February, 2019. But, first, you may well ask, why should anyone – especially a health practitioner – care about health economics? When I was teaching health economics to sixth-year medical students, I wrote on the board so that it was there during the entire session: EITHER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS…
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FASD Policy and Research Forum, 9 September, 2016, as a part of the observance of International FASD Awareness Day.
How economists think about valuing life when allocating resources for healthcare purposes. Pundit: 28 November, 2014 Keywords: Health; A couple of comments to an earlier column asked questions about the quality of life versus the prolongation of life. It might be useful to set out an economic perspective on the broad issue, while acknowledging the…
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As times goes on the government will spend more on healthcare. That means higher taxes. Is there an alternative? Pundit: 10 November, 2014. Keywords: Health; I was on the Treasury external panel which advised on its last Long Term Fiscal Projections. The great challenges arise from rising demand for government funded services and the aging…
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Every year around 600 New Zealanders are born with a horrible condition because their mothers drank while they were pregnant. Pundit: 10 November, 2014 Keywords: Health; The terms Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and its more extreme form Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) have appeared recently in two news items. In a hearing…
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Health Promotion Hui: Cancer Society of New Zealand, 23 October, 2014 Keywords: Health; I have been asked to talk about how economic evaluation is used to determine the social costs of diseases and other health conditions. I could give a learned and technical lecture on the topic, but it strikes me that even…
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Miriam J Laugesen and Robin Gauld; Otago University Press, $40.00. ISBN 978 1 877578 27 4. (Review) New Zealand Books: 5 December, 2013. Keywords: Health; I have long puzzled over the point of local democracy in the highly centralised state of New Zealand. If you dont like what your local representatives decide…
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Wellington School of Medicine Seminar Series: 22 November, 2013. [1] Keywords: Governance; Health; The Public Finance Act requires the Treasury to produce a statement on the Crown’s Long Term Fiscal Position every four years. It involves projecting 40 and more years out based on current policy assumptions with some alternative policy assumptions to assist…
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Presentation to the Wellington School of Medicine: 23 March 2012 Keywords: Health; Regulation & Taxation; This presentation was based upon the paper to the Global Alcohol Policy Conference, 14-16 February. It is at http://www.eastonbh.ac.nz/?p=1633
Global Alcohol Policy Conference: Thailand, 14-16 February as Honorary Research Fellow at SHORE, Massey University. Keywords: Health; Regulation & Taxation; Social Policy; The theme of this presentation is that alcohol is no ordinary commodity; economic policy has to think about it differently. The alcoholic beverages industry, of course, produces jobs and profits for investors, just like any…
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For my evidence see http://www.eastonbh.ac.nz/?p=1393. Keywords: Health; Social Policy; One of the ways I earn my crust is as a consultant. Although it often involves very satisfying economics, I rarely use the experience directly in my public writings (and if I do I tell you). Another rule is dont get too involved in the case….
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Keywords: Health; Time and Money Spent Gambling and the Relationship with Quality-of-life Measures: A National Study of New Zealanders (July 2010) Journal of Gambling Issues http://www.eastonbh.ac.nz/?p=1336 Measuring the Impact of Gambling (February 2009) Paper to Wellington Statistical Group http://www.eastonbh.ac.nz/?p=938 Assessment of the Social Impacts of Gambling in New Zealand (January 2009) Report to the Mnistry…
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Keywords: Health; Regulation & Taxation;
The Social Costs of Alcohol Misuse
The Regulation of Alcohol
COSTS AND BENEFITS AND ALCOHOL POLICY A Note for the Symposium on Cost-benefit Analysis on Alcohol Policy Barcelona, 18-19 October 2010 Keywords: Health; This note covers three issues involving cost-benefit analysis (and the related cost of illness analysis) . At the heart of each is a neoclassical theory of decision making, for CBA is rigorously…
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Paper for the launch of “Alcohol No Ordinary Commodity 2 ed”, 19 August, 2010. Keywords: Health; Regulation & Taxation; Executive Summary: This paper argues that the harm from the consumption of alcohol can be reduced by targeting the minimum of price of alcohol, but by using an excise drawback rather than setting a minimum price…
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A national study of New Zealanders Keywords: Health; Statistics; Published in the Journal of Gambling Issues 24, July 2010, pp.33-53. Authors: En-Yi Judy Lin; Sally Casswell; Brian Easton; Taisia Huckle; Lanuola Asiasiga; Ru Quan You: Centre for Social and Health Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand Abstract This study provides quantitative measures…
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