Health Economics: Improving Access to Drugs

Malaysia’s healthcare system ensures every Malaysian has access to highly subsidised healthcare in any government clinic or hospital. However, the ever-rising cost of medications is a major factor that contributes to the healthcare budget, where difficult decisions have to be made to balance limited resources against increasing demands. Professor Craig Mitton, Senior Scientist at the Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, University of British Columbia, shares his expertise on health economics in the context of liberalising access to costly medications.