[The Danish Debate on Priority Setting in Medicine--An Update]

Area of Science:

• Health Policy
• Medical Ethics
• Health Economics

Background:

• The Danish debate on priority setting in medicine has intensified in recent years.
• The Danish Council of Ethics engaged in priority setting discussions from 2011-2013, emphasizing legitimate processes and transparent criteria.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the main focuses of the current Danish debate on priority setting in medicine.
• To review the historical context and recent developments, including the role of the Danish Council of Ethics and political considerations.

Main Methods:

• Research of Danish primary literature on healthcare priority setting.
• Analysis of discussions involving politicians, physicians, health economists, and the Council of Ethics.

Main Results:

• Key debate points include managing expensive new drugs and the need for a national priority-setting institution, inspired by Norwegian and British models.
• Despite government consideration, a national institute was not established; however, a national project for clinical guidelines was launched in 2012.
• Danish physicians support clinical guidelines for priority setting, but a coordinating body to sustain the discussion remains absent.

Conclusions:

• The Danish debate on healthcare priority setting, while lacking a central coordinating institution, has seen improved general conditions and a notable consideration for establishing a dedicated institute.
• The discussion is expected to be revisited, potentially reviving the concept of a national priority-setting body.