Benign prostatic hyperplasia

Between late February 2024 and early March 2025, seven more health apps were introduced in the Directory of digital health applications (DiGAs) at the Federal Office for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) and thus became reimbursable. These apps can be prescribed by physicians and psychotherapists and will be reimbursed by health insurers. In total, 59 health apps are currently available in the DiGA Directory, and ten health apps were delisted from the Directory.

In January 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published two new Interventional Procedures Guidance (Transperineal laser ablation for lower urinary tract symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, electrically stimulated intravesical therapy for interstitial cystitis or overactive bladder) and one new Early Value Assessment (Artificial intelligence technologies to help detect fractures on X-rays in urgent care). Furthermore, one new clinical guideline was published, and one was updated.

In August 2024, NICE prioritization board decisions were published regarding the following Med Tech-related topics: clinical guidelines on lower urinary tract symptoms in men (prioritized), NPi-200 for pupillary light reflex in critical care (not prioritized), Aquablation robotic therapy in benign prostatic hyperplasia (not prioritized), and tumor treating fields in glioblastoma (not prioritized).

In April 2023, the Clinical Coding and Schedule Development (CCSD) working group, which develops and maintains procedural and diagnostics nomenclatures for private payers in England, published Bulletins 189 and 085 with changes to be implemented no later than June 15, 2023. Eighteen new procedure codes (concerning cardiovascular, endocrine, endoscopy, gastrointestinal, interventional radiology, neuromodulation, peripheral vascular, robotic surgery, men's health, and general surgery fields) and eight new diagnostic codes were introduced.

The French National Authority for Health (HAS) released new recommendations about add-on reimbursement of medical devices and medical aids from the meetings of the National Commission for Evaluation of Medical Devices and Health Technologies (CNEDiMTS) in December 2022. Nine recommendations were published in relation to the registration, modification of registration conditions, and renewal of registration for devices in the List of reimbursable products and services (LPPR). Opinions concern the device used for neuromodulation, the device for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, orthopedic devices, as well as medical aids.

In March 2022, NHS England and NHS Improvement published the MedTech Funding Mandate (MTFM) policy for 2022/23, which will come into force on April 01, 2022. The MTFM launched in 2021 to support NICE-approved and cost-saving devices, diagnostics, and digital products. Commissioners must fund technologies included in MTFM.

In early December 2021, NHS Accelerated Access Collaborative announced seven technologies that will be covered by the MedTech Funding Mandate (MTFM) in 2022/23: four for benign prostatic hyperplasia treatment (UroLift, GreenLight XPS, Rezum, and PLASMA system), and three for improving the patient experience during procedures (XprESS multi-sinus dilation system, Thopaz+, and Spectra Optia). Four technologies included in 2021/22 (placental growth factor-based testing, SecurAcath, HeartFlow, and gammaCore) will continue to be supported.

In July 2021, the Austrian Institute for Health Technology Assessment (AIHTA) published six new decision support documents and one update to a previous decision support document. The assessed topics included percutaneous left ventricular assist devices, liposuction for surgical therapy of lipoedema, triphasic biomaterial for augmentation of the osteoporotic femoral neck, endoscopic plication therapy in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), allogenic bone screw Shark Screw® in patients with hallux valgus or scaphoid fractures/pseudarthroses, and surgical interventions for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. The updated decision support document concerned implantable bulking agents for fecal incontinence.

In late April 2021, the European Network for Health Technology Assessment, EUnetHTA, in partnership with the Austrian Institute for HTA (AIHTA), released a final report on the comparative effectiveness of surgical techniques and devices for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Twenty-one minimally invasive surgical treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia were compared. Newer technologies may offer some advantage over transurethral resection of the prostate by reducing the transfusion requirement.

At the end of July 2020, the network of European HTA agencies, EUnetHTA, announced the final plan of the project OTCA27 “Comparative effectiveness of surgical techniques and devices for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).”