A prospective cost-benefit analysis for nylon 4N6FLOQSwabs(R): example of the process and potential benefits

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dc.creatorBudowle, Bruce
dc.creatorGe, Jianye
dc.creatorSajantila, Antti
dc.creator.orcid0000-0001-8724-075X (Ge, Jianye)
dc.date.accessioned2023-02-01T22:04:56Z
dc.date.available2023-02-01T22:04:56Z
dc.date.issued2022-09-04
dc.description.abstractLaboratories and their criminal justice systems are confronted with challenges for implementing new technologies, practices, and policies even when there appears to be demonstrative benefits to operational performance. Impacting decisions are the often higher costs associated with, for example, new technologies, limited current budgets, and making hard decisions on what to sacrifice to take on the seemingly better approach. A prospective cost-benefit analysis (CBA) could help an agency better formulate its strategies and plans and more importantly delineate how a relatively small increase to take on, for example, a new technology can have large impact on the system (e.g., the agency, other agencies, victims and families, and taxpayers). To demonstrate the process and potential value a CBA was performed on the use of an alternate and more expensive swab with reported better DNA yield and being certified human DNA free (i.e., nylon 4N6FLOQSwabs(R)), versus the traditional less costly swab (i.e., cotton swab). Assumptions are described, potential underestimates and overestimates noted, different values applied (for low and modest to high), and potential benefits (monetary and qualitative) presented. The overall outcome is that the cost of using the more expensive technology pales compared with the potential tangible and intangible benefits. This approach could be a guide for laboratories (and associated criminal justice systems) worldwide to support increased funding, although the costs and benefits may vary locally and for different technologies, practices, and policies. With well-developed CBAs, goals of providing the best services to support the criminal justice system and society can be attained.
dc.description.sponsorshipOpen Access funding provided by University of Helsinki including Helsinki University Central Hospital.
dc.identifier.citationBudowle, B., Ge, J., & Sajantila, A. (2022). A prospective cost-benefit analysis for nylon 4N6FLOQSwabs®: example of the process and potential benefits. International journal of legal medicine, 136(6), 1541-1549. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-022-02884-0
dc.identifier.issn1437-1596 (Electronic)
dc.identifier.issue6
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12503/32004
dc.identifier.volume136
dc.publisherSpringer Nature
dc.relation.urihttps://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-022-02884-0
dc.rights.holder© The Author(s) 2022, corrected publication 2022
dc.rights.licenseAttribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.sourceInternational Journal of Legal Medicine
dc.subjectcotton swab
dc.subjectdatabase
dc.subjectforensic genomics
dc.subjectnylon 4N6FLOQSwabs
dc.subjectrape
dc.subjectsexual assault
dc.subjecttangible and intangible benefits
dc.subject.meshCost-Benefit Analysis
dc.subject.meshHumans
dc.subject.meshNylons
dc.subject.meshProspective Studies
dc.titleA prospective cost-benefit analysis for nylon 4N6FLOQSwabs(R): example of the process and potential benefits
dc.typeArticle
dc.type.materialtext

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