Dr Shanahan has completed her PhD project examining the costs and benefits of various cannabis policies. This work involved the completion of a substantial cost benefit analysis and included a contingent valuation study and a discrete choice experiment.  This is a world first study. Dr Shanahan is an experienced health economist who has applied health economics principles to a diverse range of disease and structural issues in the health sector. This includes analysing large linked data sets, assessing hospital efficiency and the introduction of new technologies.  She has previously evaluated the economic costs of treatment and health services utilisation by a cohort study of heroin users and has been involved in evaluations of a number of pharmacotherapies and other treatments for illicit drug and alcohol misuse.  In addition she has been involved in economic evaluations of care for those with high risk antenatal problems as well as projects in the field of IVF.  

Dr Shanahan is currently a member of the Drug Policy Modelling Program (DPMP) team. Current interests include assessing the costs and benefits of policies for heroin, cannabis and other illicit drugs; using discrete choice experiments to explore societal preferences for drugs policies;  and assessing the costs and outcomes of police diversion programs for cannabis.

Research Projects:

• Australian government spending on drugs (drug budgets)
• Economic evaluation comparing centre-based compulsory drug rehabilitation with community-based methadone maintenance treatmetn in Hai Phong City, Vietnam
• The value of providing health interventions for heroin use: a cost benefit analysis
• Australian police diversion for cannabis offences: Assessing program outcomes and cost effectiveness