The Economics of Pandemics
An in depth look at disease outbreaks, how to prevent them, and the economic consequences of these outbreaks
In the wake of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, there was renewed attention regarding the challenges of detecting and containing disease outbreaks and the economic consequences of pandemics. At this First Wednesday seminar, which also marked the launch of RFF’s Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy (CDDEP) (www.cddep.org), we examined some key issues. Can markets be used to predict disease outbreaks? What are the incentives for countries to look for and report disease outbreaks? What are the economic consequences of outbreaks? And what sorts of policy solutions are most effective?
The challenges of improving public health call for coordination of varied perspectives that go beyond the usual models. CDDEP, now an independent research organization, produces independent, multidisciplinary research to advance the health of human populations in the United States and around the world.
The strength of CDDEP derived from its researchers’ experience in addressing country- and region-specific health problems, as well as truly global challenges, while recognizing the circumstances in which the answers must fit. The solutions required application of economics, epidemiology, disease modeling, risk analysis, and statistics—the collective expertise of the CDDEP staff.
Event Audio (MP3)
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