Defining types of economic evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: Recommend types of economic evaluation for Thai health technology assessment (HTA) guideline. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Various types of economic evaluation, including their definitions and background theories from research documentations were explored. In addition, the international economic evaluation guidelines were reviewed. Finally, the recommendations for Thai HTA guideline were made. RESULT: There are generally four types of economic evaluation: Cost-BenefitAnalysis (CBA), Cost-Minimization Analysis (CMA), Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA), and Cost-Utility Analysis (CUA). Theories ofwelfare and extra-welfare economics were used to explain each type of economic evaluation. From the international guidelines, each country's guideline has its own preferred types of economic evaluation. CEA and CUA were more likely to be recommended in those guidelines. CONCLUSION: For Thai HTA guideline, CUA was recommended to be a method of choice. However CEA could be used, especially when only intermediate outcomes of compared alternatives are available.