TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevention of the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome in Australia
T2 - A cost-benefit analysis
AU - Fischer, A. J.
AU - Yellowlees, Peter Mackinlay
PY - 1989
Y1 - 1989
N2 - The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recently has recommended that thiamin be added to cask and flagon wines, fortified wines, beer and flour. This paper presents a cost-benefit analysis of the fortification of alcoholic beverages with thiamin. A total cost-saving in present-value terms of between $60 million and $600 million in 1985 Australian dollars has been calculated. Considerable methodological problems are associated with this type of analysis, and these are discussed. However, the cost-benefit ratio under a range of plausible assumptions remains extremely high - in the region of six to one to 30 to one, or even higher. The methods that are used are compared with those of a 1978 US study, which is appraised critically. The fortification programme that was recommended by the NHMRC is supported strongly on economic grounds.
AB - The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recently has recommended that thiamin be added to cask and flagon wines, fortified wines, beer and flour. This paper presents a cost-benefit analysis of the fortification of alcoholic beverages with thiamin. A total cost-saving in present-value terms of between $60 million and $600 million in 1985 Australian dollars has been calculated. Considerable methodological problems are associated with this type of analysis, and these are discussed. However, the cost-benefit ratio under a range of plausible assumptions remains extremely high - in the region of six to one to 30 to one, or even higher. The methods that are used are compared with those of a 1978 US study, which is appraised critically. The fortification programme that was recommended by the NHMRC is supported strongly on economic grounds.
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M3 - Article
C2 - 2497310
AN - SCOPUS:0024517418
VL - 150
SP - 311
EP - 317
JO - Medical Journal of Australia
JF - Medical Journal of Australia
SN - 0025-729X
IS - 6
ER -