scholarly journals Understanding Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Bodies in Major Latin-American (LATAM) Markets: Systematic Evaluation in 5 Latam Countries

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. A491 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Nanavaty ◽  
S Gala ◽  
A Nyandege ◽  
Ramesh ◽  
M Mwamburi
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jari Haverinen ◽  
Niina Keränen ◽  
Petra Falkenbach ◽  
Anna Maijala ◽  
Timo Kolehmainen ◽  
...  

Health technology assessment (HTA) refers to the systematic evaluation of the properties, effects, and/or impacts of health technology. The main purpose of the assessment is to inform decisionmakers in order to better support the introduction of new health technologies. New digital healthcare solutions like mHealth, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics have brought with them a great potential to further develop healthcare services, but their introduction should follow the same criteria as that of other healthcare methods. They must provide evidence-based benefits and be safe to use, and their impacts on patients and organizations need to be clarified. The first objective of this study was to describe the state-of-the-art HTA methods for mHealth, AI, and robotics. The second objective of this study was to evaluate the domains needed in the assessment. The final aim was to develop an HTA framework for digital healthcare services to support the introduction of novel technologies into Finnish healthcare. In this study, the state-of-the-art HTA methods were evaluated using a literature review and interviews. It was noted that some good practices already existed, but the overall picture showed that further development is still needed, especially in the AI and robotics fields. With the cooperation of professionals, key aspects and domains that should be taken into account to make fast but comprehensive assessments were identified. Based on this information, we created a new framework which supports the HTA process for digital healthcare services. The framework was named Digi-HTA.


2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (S1) ◽  
pp. 11-11
Author(s):  
Karin Willbe Ramsay

IntroductionThe Swedish Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Assessment of Social Services (SBU) is commissioned to assess ethical aspects in their health technology assessment (HTA) reports, in addition to effects and health economic aspects of the examined interventions. For this purpose, a framework for systematic evaluation of ethical aspects of healthcare technologies has been developed and used at SBU since 2014. With seven years of practice, we decided it was time to evaluate experiences from using the ethical framework and consider possible adjustments to improve future use.MethodsSBU reports in the time period 2014–2020 were systematically screened for ethical content. Focus group meetings with users of the framework (mainly HTA project managers) were held where opinions regarding usability and possible obstacles were collected. A revised version of the document was sent for consultation to relevant stakeholders (possible users, reviewers and recipients) in order to collect additional views.ResultsOf fifty-eight HTA reports produced in the time frame, ethical aspects were evaluated in fifty-five reports (ninety-five percent), and in most cases, the framework had been used as support. In twenty-one cases (thirty-six percent), a professional ethicist had been engaged in the work. In twelve cases (twenty-one percent), ethical aspects were presented in the main conclusions of the report. Opinions from users and reviewers revealed that the framework was generally regarded as a helpful tool, but problems regarding interpretation of specific questions were highlighted and subjected to revision.ConclusionsThe ethical framework is a valuable tool for systematic and transparent identification and discussion of ethical aspects in the HTA context, and it has been well implemented at SBU. A systematic approach to assess ethical aspects can facilitate the communication and dissemination of ethical aspects as principal results from the HTA project.


2001 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 389-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin Faisst ◽  
Julian Schilling ◽  
Pedro Koch

Objective: To describe the level of health technology assessments for three screening methods in Switzerland.Methods: Analysis of documents and expert opinions on mammography screening, ultrasound examinations during normal pregnancy, and screening for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) with a focus on services provided, recommendations, formal regulations, national papers, projects, and formal assessments.Results: Preventive services are explicitly recommended by the Swiss federal law on health insurance. Two routine ultrasound examinations during normal pregnancy as well as PSA analysis for men over 40 years of age on medical indication are covered by basic health insurance. Mammography screening every 2 years has been covered since 1997 for women over 50 years. A systematic screening program for mammography exists in the western part of Switzerland, and a nationwide program is planned. However, a national program may not come into being until a quality assurance program for evaluation is established, and a nationwide fee for reimbursement—to include all costs of such a program—is accepted by providers and insurers.Conclusion: According to the Swiss health insurance law, the effectiveness of mammography screening and ultrasound examinations during normal pregnancy have to be proven. Systematic evaluation of these screening methods is in preparation. PSA is not part of current evaluation. It can be concluded that health technology assessment in Switzerland is now required by law for several medical services. However, limited financial and personnel resources as well as the lack of disease registers may hamper progress in the near future.


2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 241-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrés Pichon-Riviere ◽  
Natalie C. Soto ◽  
Federico Ariel Augustovski ◽  
Sebastián García Martí ◽  
Laura Sampietro-Colom

Objectives:The aim of this study was to identify good practice principles for health technology assessment (HTA) that are the most relevant and of highest priority for application in Latin America and to identify potential barriers to their implementation in the region.Methods:HTA good practice principles proposed at the international level were identified and then explored during a deliberative process in a forum of assessors, funders, and product manufacturers.Results:Forty-two representatives from ten Latin American countries participated. Good practice principles proposed at the international level were considered valid and potentially relevant to Latin America. Five principles were identified as priority and with the greatest potential to be strengthened at this time: transparency in the production of HTA, involvement of relevant stakeholders in the HTA process, mechanisms to appeal decisions, clear priority-setting processes in HTA, and a clear link between HTA and decision making. The main challenge identified was to find a balance between the application of these principles and the available resources in a way that would not detract from the production of reports and adaptation to the needs of decision makers.Conclusions:The main recommendation was to progress gradually in strengthening HTA and its link to decision making by developing appropriate processes for each country, without trying to impose, in the short-term, standards taken from examples at the international level without adequate adaptation of these to local contexts.


2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 411-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicia Aleman ◽  
Ana Perez Galan

Objectives: The impact of health technology assessment (HTA) in the judicialization of the right of health has not been deeply studied in Latin American countries. The purpose of this study is to review the process of judicialization of the access to high cost drugs in Uruguay and assess the impact HTAs have had on this process.Methods: The methodology used for this study included a comprehensive literature search in electronic databases, local journals, internal documents developed in the Ministry of Health, as well as conducting interviews with key informants.Results: Judicialization of the access of high cost drugs has been increasing since 2010. The strategy of the Ministry of Health of Uruguay to decrease this problem included the organization of roundtables with judges and other stakeholders on the basis of HTA, the training of defense lawyers in the use and interpretation of HTA, and the participation of a professional who develops HTA in the preparation of the defense arguments. A year after the implementation of this strategy, 25 percent of writs of protection were won by the Ministry of Health.Conclusions: Even though the strategy implemented was effective in reducing the loss of litigations, it was not effective in reducing the growing number of writs of protection. It is essential to address this problem in a broad debate and to promote understanding between the parties.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 253-272
Author(s):  
Jana Rozmarinová ◽  
Barbora Říhová

Abstract Health technology assessment (HTA) has become the systematic evaluation of health technology’s properties and effects that inform decision-makers. The implementation and expansion of HTA can contribute to slowing down burgeoning healthcare costs. In the Czech Republic, elements of HTA are quite standardly used in pharmacoeconomics, but questions arise on the use of HTA of medical devices. The theoretical framework developed is followed by a case study of the Czech Republic to assess whether the use of HTA of medical devices in the Czech Republic is implemented. This study uses publicly available resources, mainly public health acts and public notices related to HTA. We examined the institutionalisation of HTA for medical devices (HTA applied only at a selected area of medical devices) in the Czech Republic and compared Czech’s HTA principles of medical devices to the HTA Core Model. It was found that the HTA process used for medical devices is very limited in the Czech Republic. Our data show that HTA was officially established, but in reality, the medical devices have not been assessed following HTA principles.


Author(s):  
Andrés Pichon-Riviere ◽  
Federico Augustovski ◽  
Sebastián García Martí ◽  
Andrea Alcaraz ◽  
Verónica Alfie ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective There is no health system that has the resources to evaluate all technologies. The presence of a clear process to prioritize health technologies for assessment by health technology assessment (HTA) agencies is a good practice principle recognized at the international level. The objective of Health Technology Assessment International's 2020 Latin American Policy Forum (LatamPF) was to explore how to improve the way HTA agencies in Latin America identify and prioritize technologies for assessment. Methods This paper is based on a background document, a survey, and the deliberations of the members of the LatamPF (forty-six participants from eleven countries) using a design thinking methodology. Results Participants agreed that a lack of clear prioritization mechanisms results in HTA processes and decisions that are perceived to be of low transparency and overly exposed to political or interest group pressures. The LatamPF identified barriers and recommended actions to improve HTA prioritization mechanisms in Latin America. The criteria identified as the most important to be taken into consideration by HTA agencies in the region when prioritizing a technology for assessment were: the burden of illness, the potential clinical benefit, the alignment with national health priorities, the potential impact on equity, a lack of treatment alternatives for patients, and the potential economic impact. Conclusions Forum participants agreed that the establishment of transparent prioritization processes is a key element for all health systems. Improvements in these processes will strengthen HTA and provide greater legitimacy to decision making.


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