Putting a Price on Life: The Coming Fight Over Government Rationing of Medical Care

In Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and elsewhere, government-run health care systems use “quality-adjusted life years” to help determine what medical procedures and drugs are available for patients. In theory, this prevents people from getting unnecessary treatment and helps prioritize patient care.

But in practice, it boils down to rationing, carried out by government bureaucrats. Pushed out of the equation are two key participants in medical care: doctors and patients. In Britain, for instance, this type of rationing has led to cancer patients having severely limited access to new treatments that are widely available in other countries. And the quality of life measure may be coming to the United States.

Dr. William Smith wrote a report critical of the QALY standard, questioning the extent that governments gets involved in judgments on the value of human life. At this event, he will discuss quality-life measurements, compare the difference between the government and private insurance when determining treatment and talk about the push for rationing by federal and state governments.

Dr. William S. Smith is a visiting fellow in the life sciences at the Massachusetts-based Pioneer Institute. Dr. Smith has 25 years of experience in government and in corporate roles. His career includes senior staff positions for the Republican House leadership on Capitol Hill, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Massachusetts Governor’s office, where he served under governors Weld and Cellucci. He spent 10 years at Pfizer, Inc. as vice president of public affairs and policy, where he was responsible for Pfizer’s corporate strategies for the U.S. policy environment. He later served as a consultant to major pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies. Dr. Smith earned his Ph.D. in political science with distinction at the Catholic University of America.

Lunch is free for attendees who RSVP. Registration is required by June 7. Please register online here. 

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact us at 989-698-1905 or events@mackinac.org.