Which scenario describes a dominant intervention?

• A. Higher costs and better outcomes
• B. Lower costs and better outcomes
• C. Higher costs and worse outcomes
• D. Lower costs and worse outcomes

Answer: (B)

Dominance in cost-effectiveness means an option delivers better health outcomes while costing less than the alternative. That combination—lower costs and better outcomes—is the strongest possible position, so it’s the dominant choice. In this scenario, the intervention saves money and improves health compared to the alternative, making it the clearly preferred option. If an option costs more but yields better outcomes, it isn’t dominant because the higher cost isn’t outweighed by enough additional benefit. If it costs less but has worse outcomes, it’s not dominant because you’d be sacrificing effectiveness for savings. If both costs and outcomes are worse, it’s also not preferred.