I like these examples but they do have some limitations.
I’m still searching for some better examples that are empirically robust as well as intuitively powerful.
(I’m looking for the strongest references to give to my claim here that “there is a strong case that most donations go to charities that improve well-being far less per-dollar than others.” (of course I’m willing to admit there’s some possibility that we don’t have strong evidence for this)
1) Differences in income: This will not be terribly convincing to anyone who doesn’t already accept the idea of vastly diminishing marginal utility, and there is the standard (inadequate but hard to easily rebut) objection that “things are much cheaper in developing countries”.
2) The cost to save a life: Yes, rich country governments factor this into their calculations, but is this indeed the calculation that is relevant when considering “typical charities operating in rich countries?” It also does not identify a particular intervention that is “much less efficient”.
3) Cost per QALY/ UK NHS: Similar limitations as in case 2.
What is the strongest statistic or comparison for making this point? Perhaps Sanjay Joshi of SoGive has some suggestions?
I like these examples but they do have some limitations.
I’m still searching for some better examples that are empirically robust as well as intuitively powerful.
(I’m looking for the strongest references to give to my claim here that “there is a strong case that most donations go to charities that improve well-being far less per-dollar than others.” (of course I’m willing to admit there’s some possibility that we don’t have strong evidence for this)
1) Differences in income: This will not be terribly convincing to anyone who doesn’t already accept the idea of vastly diminishing marginal utility, and there is the standard (inadequate but hard to easily rebut) objection that “things are much cheaper in developing countries”.
2) The cost to save a life: Yes, rich country governments factor this into their calculations, but is this indeed the calculation that is relevant when considering “typical charities operating in rich countries?” It also does not identify a particular intervention that is “much less efficient”.
3) Cost per QALY/ UK NHS: Similar limitations as in case 2.
What is the strongest statistic or comparison for making this point? Perhaps Sanjay Joshi of SoGive has some suggestions?
Perhaps making a comparison based on the tables near the end of Jamison, D. T. et al (2006). Disease control priorities in developing countries? 2006 was a long time ago, however.