Scott Ramsey

Scott Ramsey, MD, PhD, is a Professor in the Cancer Prevention Program within the Public Health Sciences Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. He serves as Director of the Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research (HICOR) and holds additional appointments as Member of the Pathogen-Associated Malignancies Integrated Research Center (PAM IRC) and Affiliate Investigator in the Clinical Research Division.

His educational background includes:

• PhD in Health Economics from the University of Pennsylvania (1994)
• MD from the University of Iowa (1990)
• BS in Economics and General Science from the University of Iowa (1983)

Dr. Ramsey pioneers research in cancer economics and health outcomes, with seminal work identifying financial toxicity as a critical side effect of cancer treatment. His studies demonstrate cancer patients face 2.5x higher bankruptcy risk, correlating with 80% increased mortality. As a rare physician-health economist dual expert, he designs cost-benefit analyses for lung, colorectal, and prostate cancer interventions, advocating evidence-based resource allocation where equally effective treatments exist. His work bridges clinical practice and economic pragmatism to maximize health value while reducing financial burden.

HICOR under his leadership engages diverse stakeholders—including patients, providers, and payers—to reshape cancer research priorities and delivery models. Recent initiatives include multi-cancer detection test evaluations and the Vanguard Study for Cancer Screening, focusing on affordability and accessibility in oncology care.