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Summary
Prioritizing cancer research funding requires a quantitative approach. Cost-effectiveness analysis shows that clinical trials, like the beta-carotene study, yield greater cancer mortality reduction per dollar than chemical bioassays.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Economics
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Limited resources necessitate strategic prioritization in U.S. cancer research.
- Identifying preventable causes of cancer is a key public health objective.
Purpose of the Study:
- To apply a quantitative model for setting national cancer research priorities.
- To compare the cost-effectiveness of different cancer research investment strategies.
Main Methods:
- Utilized decision analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis principles.
- Modeled the expected reduction in cancer mortality per research dollar.
- Compared a clinical trial (dietary beta-carotene) with carcinogen bioassays (p-dichlorobenzene).
Main Results:
- The National Institutes of Health-supported clinical trial of dietary beta-carotene demonstrated higher cost-effectiveness.
- This trial offered a greater expected reduction in cancer mortality per research dollar compared to bioassays of industrial chemicals.
Conclusions:
- National cancer research priorities should be guided by cost-effectiveness.
- Investing in clinical trials may be more efficient for reducing cancer mortality than traditional chemical bioassays.