Since 1945, a broad array of health care technologies have come into use, including antibiotics, anti-hypertensive drugs, oral diuretics, oral contraceptives, psycho-pharmaceuticals, corticosteroids, vaccines, open-heart surgery, genetics screening, automated clinical laboratories, renal dialysis, and cardiac pacemakers. Unquestionably, these technologies have brought benefits to millions. However, as costs of health care have risen rapidly, governments have increasingly singled out expensive technology as the culprit. The result has been changes in the methods of paying for health care in most countries to control cost rises. This has led to a slowing of technological change in some countries and increasing necessities to choose in all countries. This timely work describes how technology assessment critically evaluates the benefits, costs, and social implications of technology. The book presents an international perspective on health care technology's development and diffusion,
and explains how health care technology can enlighten difficult choices faced by policy-makers, clinicians, and patients.