Measures taken to correct situations where markets left to their own devices are expected to yield socially undesirable outcomes. Economic regulation in particular deals with the regulation in the final product market, for example the extent to which prices or profits are constrained.

See also:
Economic evaluation
Cost–benefit analysis
Cost consequences analysis (CCA)
Cost-effectiveness league table (healthcare economics)
Cost-effectiveness threshold (health economics)
Cost-minimisation analysis (CMA)