Econ 309: Value of Life

QALYs (Quality Adjusted Life Years)

• • Philosopher Peter Singers on the concept of Quality Adjusted Life Years (New York Times, July 19, 2009)

  • What is a human life worth? (Slate, August 10, 2009)

  • Princeton economist Ewe Reinhart on QALYs: Short and long

  • Physician Pauline Chen on QALYs (New York TImes, July 23, 2009)

  • QALYs and vaccinations (The New Republic, May 27, 2011)

For interest:

• • What is a human life worth? According to the EPA, it used to be $7.8 million, but now it's just $6.9 million. (Sell! Sell!) (AP, July 20, 2008)

  • This debate goes way back, for instance here is a piece from the New York Times from July 1, 1906

  • What's the true cost of a pack of cigarettes? (Kip Viscusi and NU alumna Joni Hirsh, New York Times, November 16, 2007)

  • Why do men get higher wages than women? One reason is that they tend to have riskier jobs. So...how does this affect our analysis?

  • Who decided how much the relatives of the victims of 9-11 were due in compensation? Kenneth Feinberg...who is not the same as the NU medical school folks.