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Prevention of the Wernicke‐Korsakoff syndrome in Australia: a cost‐benefit analysis

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recently has recommended that thiamin be added to cask and flagon wines, fortified wines, beer and flour. This paper presents a cost‐benefit analysis of the fortification of alcoholic beverages with thiamin. A total cost‐saving in present‐value terms of between $60 million and $600 million in 1985 Australian dollars has been calculated. Considerable methodological problems are associated with this type of analysis, and these are discussed. However, the cost‐benefit ratio under a range of plausible assumptions remains extremely high — in the region of six to one to 30 to one, or even higher. The methods that are used are compared with those of a 1978 US study, which is appraised critically. The fortification programme that was recommended by the NHMRC is supported strongly on economic grounds.