Clive Smee obituary

Chief economic adviser at the Department of Health who developed the idea of evaluating the cost-effectiveness of medical treatments

In 1985 Clive Smee, who had recently been appointed chief economic adviser to the Department of Health and Social Security, commissioned two studies. The first concluded that, despite the controversially high expense of heart transplants, they might be cost effective and were therefore worth pursuing. The second used international evidence to make the case for the UK to adopt breast cancer screening. Both recommendations were acted on, saving many lives.

Those two breakthrough studies – both of which had a real impact on policy – were just the start of almost two decades’ worth of health policy development in which Smee, who has died from motor neurone disease aged 77, played a key role. His lasting contribution was, first, to help develop the idea of the economic evaluation of health services and, then, to inject the findings into government decisions, often in turbulent times.