Resources can be allocated to health care in a variety of ways. Ten major approaches are described in this document. All of these fall within a number of ethical and economic constraints, and yet health authorities differ in the extent to which they place emphasis on important factors. No perfect resource allocation model can be devised because there will always be a trade off between efficiency, effectiveness and equity. Various suggestions have been made: equal treatment for equal need; distribute health care to diminish health inequalities; equity rather than efficiency.