Can we afford the welfare state?

Can South Africa Afford to Become Africas First Welfare State?

This paper assesses the economy-wide impact of implementing and financing a universal or basic income grant (BIG) in South Africa. The various financing scenarios suggested by the proponents of the grant are presented, and these are compared using an applied general equilibrium model for the South African economy. The results indicate that the required changes in direct and indirect tax rates n...

Providing outpatient prescription drugs through Medicare: can we afford to? Can we afford not to?

Can we afford the war on cancer?

Immunotherapy vaccines could extend survival in a handful of cancers. But personalizing treatment, payers argue, is not sustainable. Where should the line be drawn?

HPV vaccine: Can we afford to hesitate?

To the Editor: Cervical cancer, caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, is highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa. The estimated annual incidence of cervical cancer is 35/100 000 women, with 22.5/100 000 associated deaths. This is in stark contrast to the 6.6/100 000 cases and 2.7/100 000 deaths reported in developed countries such as the USA, where HPV vaccination has been available si...

Can we afford to eliminate restenosis?

Over the past decade, coronary stenting has emerged as the dominant form of percutaneous coronary revascularization. However, bare metal stents remain limited by a high incidence of restenosis, leading to frequent repeat revascularization procedures and substantial economic burden. Antiproliferative drug-eluting stents (DES) have recently demonstrated dramatic reductions in rates of restenosis,...