Tel/Fax no. +44 (0)1509 219 943
Centre for Bayesian Statistics in Health Economics (CHEBS)
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Background
The Bayesian approach to statistics is named after Reverend Thomas Bayes and Bayes’ Theorem, his elementary identity about conditional probability that was published posthumously in 1763.
Health Economics today
Health economics is much more recent, dating from the mid-1980s. Today, there is an increasing requirement from health-care policy makers for evidence to support the cost-effectiveness of new interventions. In countries such as Australia, Canada and the UK there are formal requirements relating to new drugs before granting them reimbursement.
Decisions regarding the cost-effectiveness of new interventions are usually based on the analysis of an economic model. The inputs to economic models are uncertain but can be represented by probability distributions that reflect the available evidence, which is inherently Bayesian.
About CHEBS
CHEBS was founded by Professor Anthony O’Hagan in 2001 to provide cutting-edge Bayesian solutions to real problems in health technology assessment. It is a research centre of the University of Sheffield, combining the outstanding strengths of the Department of Probability and Statistics, internationally respected for its research in Bayesian statistics, and ScHARR, one of the leading UK centres for economic evaluation, into a uniquely powerful research enterprise.
The CHEBS website can be found at: http://www.shef.ac.uk/chebs/
