BCEPS Co-Founder Ole F. Norheim Appointed to Lead New National Council for Priority Setting and Sustainability in Health and Social Care Services in Norway

The new council, led by Ole F. Norheim, was established by the Norwegian government under the Ministry of Health and Care Services and will serve as a national forum for strategic and policy-level discussions on priority issues and long-term sustainability in the health and care sector.

Minister of Health and Care Services Jan Christian Vestre stated that such a council, tasked with addressing key issues related to priority setting, is important for Norway to ensure the world’s best health and care services in the years ahead.

The goal of the National Council for Priority Setting and Sustainability is to strengthen public debate, foster a shared understanding of the situation among stakeholders, and provide input to the government on developments, dilemmas, and measures that can enhance the sustainability of public services.

Ole F. Norheim is a physician and Mary B. Saltonstall Professor of Ethics and Population Health at the Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He co-founded BCEPS at the University of Bergen and is an Adjunct Researcher at the University of Bergen.  

Norheim has been appointed to lead the new council, given his internationally recognized work in medical ethics, resource allocation, and global health, strong professional credibility, and extensive experience in making complex issues understandable to the general public.

“I am very pleased that the Minister of Health is establishing this council. Now more than ever, we need a broad and evidence-based public debate on how we can ensure sound and equitable priorities at a time when the health care system is facing ever-greater challenges,” Norheim said in connection with his appointment.