Rethink HIV: Social Policy Perspective, Kazianga

Perspective Paper

This perspective paper will start by discussing the issues policy makers are likely to be confronted with when they attempt to scale-up promising pilot studies. Next, it will argue that cost-effectiveness calculations should better integrate how unit costs are likely to vary when pilot studies are scaled up.  It will argue in particular that varying average costs will determine in part the size of the full-scale project. Further, it will discuss some implications of increasing alcohol taxation that are not sufficiently addressed in the assessment paper. Finally, it will propose a possible intervention— offering life insurance to adults to stay HIV free. Calibration exercises by Araujo and Murray (2010) suggest that this intervention can reduce HIV transmission significantly, but randomized control trials would provide more credible evidence.

Each Perspective Paper reviews the assumptions and analyses made within the Assessment Paper. In this way, a range of informed perspectives are provided on the topic. A Perspective Paper on Social Policy has been written by Harounan Kazianga, Assistant Professor, Spears School of Business at the Oklahoma State University.