ABSTRACT
In a country that spends over 15% o f its G N P on health and safety, the evaluation o f programs that save lives is o f paramount importance. Typically, health and safety pro grams are com pared by com puting the cost-per-life saved o f each program-that is, the total cost o f the program is divided by the number o f premature deaths avoided. Two problems that arise in making such com parisons are (1) that programs may save lives at different times, and (2) that programs may prevent death at different ages, and thus save different numbers o f life-years.
