Whither trial‐based economic evaluation for health care decision making?

The randomised controlled trial (RCT) has developed a central role in applied cost‐effectiveness studies in health care as the vehicle for analysis. This paper considers the role of trial‐based economic evaluation in this era of explicit decision making. It is argued that any framework for economic analysis can only be judged insofar as it can inform two key decisions and be consistent with the objectives of a health care system subject to its...