Decision and economic analytic techniques, including benefit-cost and cost-effectiveness analysis, are being used and appreciated increasingly in public health in general and at the primary federal agency for public health and disease prevention, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in particular. This article describes the frequency and breadth of economic analyses at the CDC. The uses of such analyses include: justifying existing programs; promoting successful programs for more widespread acceptance; assisting in difficult decision making; assessing the need to change current policy; and aiding in determining the most appropriate use of a technology.
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