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Primeval health economics in Britain: A personal retrospect of the pre‐HESG period

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  • Alan Williams

Abstract

There is a danger that the history of health economics in Britain comes to be regarded as roughly co‐terminous with the history of the Health Economists' Study Group (HESG). As one of the founders of that Group, I would take some pride from that, if it were true. But it is not. Just as primitive human societies existed before recorded history, so there was primeval health economics in Britain prior to 1972. There is probably more of this primeval health economics than even I know about, but as one of the ancient relics of that period I have been offered the opportunity to reminisce about what I saw during those dark ages! When one reaches the advanced age of 70, there is no escaping the fact that your past is bound to be more extensive (and probably more enjoyable) than your future, which is why the old enjoy looking back more than they enjoy looking forward! I am no exception. Hence this essay, which may either be seen as a rather self‐indulgent bout of nostalgia concerning the early days of health economics in Britain, or as an archaeological enterprise, exhibiting, for all to wonder at, the treasures to be found at carefully selected ancient (i.e., pre‐HESG) sites in Britain. Either way, my purpose is to suggest that most of the fundamental issues with which health economists have grappled in the last 25 years had already been identified and addressed in a careful way during the decade preceding the formation of the HESG.

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  • Alan Williams, 1998. "Primeval health economics in Britain: A personal retrospect of the pre‐HESG period," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 7(S1), pages 3-8, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:7:y:1998:i:s1:p:s3-s8
    DOI: 10.1002/hec.4730070903
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Alan Williams, 1974. "Measuring the Effectiveness of Health Care Systems," International Economic Association Series, in: Mark Perlman (ed.), The Economics of Health and Medical Care, chapter 18, pages 361-376, Palgrave Macmillan.
    2. Anthony J. Culyer & J. G. Cullis, 1974. "Private Patients in N.H.S. Hospitals: Waiting Lists and Subsidies," International Economic Association Series, in: Mark Perlman (ed.), The Economics of Health and Medical Care, chapter 7, pages 108-116, Palgrave Macmillan.
    3. Anthony J. Culyer & Alan Maynard (ed.), 1997. "being reasonable about the economics of health," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 1333.
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    Cited by:

    1. Coast, Joanna, 2018. "A history that goes hand in hand: Reflections on the development of health economics and the role played by Social Science & Medicine, 1967–2017," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 227-232.

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