9 June 2017 - You may hear about the advances in medicine, those promising new treatments, drugs or procedures expected to keep us alive longer, but have you heard about the retreats in medicine?

The cost of healthcare — to governments, taxpayers, insurers and patients — is rising so fast there is a financial imperative to promote efficacy and efficiency. Some interventions also may have a risk-benefit ratio that is no longer considered appropriate, or in rare cases downright dangerous.

For patients, this review process can be as simple as having your medications checked to see if there are better, cheaper or simpler options, while for clinicians it can be as complex as having a range of financial incentives and disincentives, and new guidelines to direct decision-making. There is an element of rationing in all this, aimed at ensuring those who need health care the most can get it.

Read The Australian article