HealthTechnologyAssessments

Health Technology Assessments (HTA) are systematic evaluations of the properties, effects, and impacts of health technologies used to inform decision-making in health policy and clinical practice. Technologies considered include drugs, devices, procedures, and organizational or programmatic interventions, as well as screening and diagnostic strategies. HTA examines clinical effectiveness and safety, as well as economic and social dimensions such as cost-effectiveness, budget impact, equity, and ethical and legal implications.

A typical HTA process involves scoping the questions, conducting comprehensive literature reviews, appraising the quality of evidence, and synthesizing findings. Economic analyses, including cost-effectiveness or cost-utility analyses and budget impact analyses, are often integrated with assessments of feasibility, implementation considerations, and acceptability among stakeholders. The output is usually an assessment report and accompanying guidance to inform decisions about adoption, reimbursement, coverage, pricing, and use conditions.

HTA bodies operate at national, regional, or institutional levels. Examples include NICE in the United Kingdom, CADTH in Canada, PBAC in Australia, and IQWiG in Germany, along with international collaborations. HTA is used to support decisions on whether technologies should be funded or recommended, and under what circumstances.

Limitations of HTA include evidence gaps, methodological uncertainty, and challenges in transferability across health systems. Rapid HTA variants aim to shorten timelines for urgent decisions. Overall, HTA seeks to balance clinical benefits, costs, and broader societal values to promote efficient and equitable health care.