OBJECTIVES: Adults presenting with acute sore throats is one of the most common complaints encountered by primary care clinicians, yet the proper management of adult patients with pharyngitis is still somewhat controversial. This study proposes to identify the appropriate clinical management of adult pharyngitis using both cost-benefit analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis METHODS: Cost-Benefit Analysis and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis. Six management strategies were considered in these analyses: empiric treatment, performing a rapid test, obtaining a bacterial culture, empiric treatment with a confirmatory bacterial culture, or a combination of the rapid test with a bacterial culture of negative rapid tests. In addition, the study incorporates differing probabilities of streptococcal disease based upon on previously published symptomatically derived logistic regression scores. Using an internet-based survey, information is collected on undergraduate and graduate students’ willingness-to-pay and time trade-off of presented health states. RESULTS: Preliminary results indicate that patients presenting with 3 or more indicative symptoms (£ 3 days of fever > 39°C, tender anterior cervical nodes, enlarged tonsils with purulent exudates, and lack of cough) should be treated empirically. Those adult patients that complain of only two symptoms should be managed by a combination of a rapid diagnostic test with a bacterial culture on those rapid tests with negative results. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents findings that should provide clinicians with a better guide in the treatment of adult patients with pharyngitis. Performing normative analyses of currently accepted clinical management, the study employs adult’s preferences as well as variation in severity of symptoms.