MacKenzie Scott's giving, in quality-adjusted life years
maxghenis.com
July 13, 2026
6 min read
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46/100
Summary
A Monte Carlo cost-effectiveness model estimates the health impact of MacKenzie Scott's $26.3 billion in philanthropy using Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs). The model allows users to adjust assumptions, with results influenced by varying levels of trust in the cited effects of each study.
Key Takeaways
- MacKenzie Scott's Yield Giving network has made over $26 billion in more than 2,700 gifts since 2019, projected to reach $26.3 billion by 2025.
- The cost-effectiveness model estimates that Scott's philanthropy could deliver between 70,000 to 200,000 quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) depending on the credibility of the causal evidence used.
- The model incorporates a Monte Carlo simulation to assess the impact of donations across various intervention archetypes, adjusting for the causal credibility of each effect.
- The average cost per QALY for global health interventions is estimated to range from approximately $150 to $260 under the model's conventions.
Coverage & discussions
Hacker News · maxghenis.com
Community discussions
Community Sentiment
Positives
- MacKenzie Scott is a beacon of humanity amid extreme inequality, showing that billionaires can do good and inspire hope.
- Every avoided pregnancy and child death through her philanthropy could lead to significant economic productivity and quality of life improvements.
Concerns
- Many feel her charitable efforts are just a drop in the ocean compared to the vast wealth disparity, revealing a lack of creativity in her approach.
- The calculations around quality-adjusted life years (QALY) seem overly optimistic and simplistic, raising doubts about their validity.
- Some commenters argue that the premise of evaluating economic value from avoided births is flawed and dismissive of potential human contributions.
