A note on the estimation of the equity-efficiency trade-off for QALYs

In this note the veil of ignorance approach is tested as a basis for empirically determining the shape of the social welfare function for QALYs. An experiment is carried out where the participants choose between different societies that differ with respect to per capita QALYs and the distribution of QALYs. The answers are analyzed using logistic regression analysis. According to the results the respondents are willing to give up 1 QALY in the group with more QALYs to gain 0.45 QALYs in the group with fewer QALYs, but this trade-off is independent of the size of the difference in QALYs between the groups.