What next for QALYs in US drug value assessments?

If approved by Congress, new legislation in the US could lead to a ban on federal agencies using quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) in drug value assessments. QALYs are considered by many to be the ‘gold standard’ outcome measure to assess the value and cost-effectiveness of new drugs and treatments. QALYs continue to be used as a tool in health technology assessments for evaluating the cost effectiveness of healthcare interventions, particularly in countries with publicly and federally funded healthcare systems. However, there is ongoing debate about how best to use QALYs in healthcare decision making, and how to address the ethical...