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Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

Meaning

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) is a rigorous form of health economic evaluation used in clinical decision-making and health policy to systematically compare the relative value of different therapeutic interventions. This analysis assesses the ratio of the cost of a treatment to its health outcome, typically quantified in natural units such as life-years gained or, more commonly, Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs). In the hormonal health domain, CEA helps clinicians determine which specific diagnostic or treatment strategy offers the greatest clinical benefit for the economic resources expended.