What does QALY stand for in pharmacoeconomics?

What does QALY stand for in pharmacoeconomics?

• A. Quality Adjusted Life Year
• B. Quick Access Life Year
• C. Quantified Average Life Year
• D. Quality Allocated Life Year

Answer: (A)

In pharmacoeconomics, a QALY combines how long people live with how well they live. The “quality” is a health-state utility between 0 (death) and 1 (perfect health). Multiply that utility by the number of years lived in that state, and sum over time. So one year in perfect health equals 1 QALY; one year in a health state valued at 0.7 equals 0.7 QALYs. This measure lets us compare different interventions by cost per QALY gained. The correct term is Quality Adjusted Life Year. The other phrases—Quick Access Life Year, Quantified Average Life Year, and Quality Allocated Life Year—aren’t standard terms in pharmacoeconomics and don’t convey the same meaning.

In pharmacoeconomics, a QALY combines how long people live with how well they live. The “quality” is a health-state utility between 0 (death) and 1 (perfect health). Multiply that utility by the number of years lived in that state, and sum over time. So one year in perfect health equals 1 QALY; one year in a health state valued at 0.7 equals 0.7 QALYs. This measure lets us compare different interventions by cost per QALY gained.

The correct term is Quality Adjusted Life Year. The other phrases—Quick Access Life Year, Quantified Average Life Year, and Quality Allocated Life Year—aren’t standard terms in pharmacoeconomics and don’t convey the same meaning.