We have just advertised a new DPhil (PhD) position here at the Health Economics Research Centre in the area of health economics and genomics. The proposed start date is October 2021 and the full title is “Valuing the outcomes associated with genome sequencing in economic evaluations”. The student will be supervised by myself and Professor Sarah Wordsworth.

The primary aim of this project is to evaluate existing instruments used to generate quality of life weights for use in extra-welfarist economic evaluations, in terms of their capacity to capture all impacts of genome sequencing on patient wellbeing. Such instruments will include the EQ-5D-5L, the SF-36 and ICECAP capability measures. We expect the student will: 

• Critically appraise the theoretical capacity of existing instruments to capture the impacts of genome sequencing;
• Review the current use of these instruments in this context;
• Generate new data on the use of these instruments in patients undergoing genome sequencing;
• Identify instruments that effectively value the outcomes associated with genome sequencing;
• Describe the characteristics of any new instruments that may be required.

The deadline for applications is 1200 noon UK time on Friday 8th January 2021.

If anybody has any questions about this project then please don’t hesitate to get in touch by email (james.buchanan@dph.ox.ac.uk). Please also share the details of this project with anybody who you think might be interested.

Full details of this project are available here.