What's evidence got to do with health policy?

Whilst we in the UK watch Brexit play out with its potential impact on economic growth, the NHS workforce, STEM sector and medical research, we can always take a break to look internationally and see the results of party politics - not evidence-based health policy - on other health systems.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(19)30118-7/fulltext

December 14th 2018, was not a good day for universal health coverage (UHC). Self-serving populist views – from either side of the political spectrum – are using ideological preconceptions, not robust scientific evidence, to get in the way of, or reverse, progressive health policy reforms. 

The ACA helped halve the number of uninsured people in the US, whilst Seguro Popular in Mexico benefited ~53 million non-salaried workers and their families get access to 290 essential and 65 high-cost interventions.

Interesting to see the right wing of the US Republican Party undermining the ACA, whereas the attack to Seguro Popular comes mostly from the far left factions of the President′s Morena party. Granted this is not new and meant here simply to illustrate a point.

Time will tell how these situations will pan out.

At a national level, regressive health policies can be counter-productive on multiple levels not just in terms of population level health outcomes, but broader economic growth, security, the list goes on. However, that doesn’t seem to stop them being top of certain short-termist, divisive agendas, often led by a very narrow rallying cry.

At a time of unprecedented pressure on health systems to be more sustainable, equitable and inclusive surely we need more evidence-based health policy than ever – not less.

This could get interesting - thoughts, anyone?

#healthpolicy #sustainability #outcomes #partypolitics