EU HTA Publication Digest: The Art of Bridge Building: A Look at the European-Level Cooperation in HTA (EU-HTA)

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Sustainability Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Amin et al. conducted an audit to quantify both contaminated and recyclable waste generated from invasive cardiac procedures in a single cardiac center, which performs approximately 350 cardiac surgeries and 2,900 interventional cases annually. The study found that the center produced an estimated 11,000 kg of recyclable and 30,000 kg of contaminated waste each year, with potential global extrapolation reaching 150 million kg of annual waste from such procedures. The authors highlight the need for sustainability initiatives within cardiology to address the environmental burden of medical waste.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its EU HTA Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Arcà et al. addressed the persistent challenge of integrating patient perspectives into PICO scoping for Health Technology Assessment (HTA) under the EU HTA Regulation. The authors proposed a structured framework based on the Delphi panel methodology to enhance the validity and transparency of patient contributions, facilitating structured engagement and consensus among patients and caregivers across Europe. This approach is designed to better align stakeholder expectations with HTA outcomes, and a study is currently underway to assess its practical feasibility.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Health Economic Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Thokala et al. provided an overview of how resource constraints can be incorporated into health economic evaluations. Drawing on literature and expert input, the authors identified three distinct categories of resource constraints: single-use resources, reusable resources, and constraints related to patient throughput. They also developed a comprehensive framework to guide a more accurate and realistic assessment of health technologies under real-world limitations. Their findings underscore the importance of systematic consideration of resource constraints by HTA agencies to enhance the relevance of economic evaluations.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Basu et al. investigated whether health technology assessment (HTA) agencies systematically consider unique characteristics of medical devices in their guidelines and reports. Specifically, the study examined factors such as learning curve, incremental innovation, dynamic pricing, and organizational impact through a review of documents from 14 HTA agencies, five HTA networks, and the published literature. The authors identified inconsistent inclusion of device-specific attributes, with most agencies lacking comprehensive methodological guidance, underscoring the need for standardized frameworks in future HTA processes.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Sustainability Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Qin et al. assessed the economic and environmental impact of single-use instruments (SUIs) versus reusable instruments (RUIs) in cataract surgery across six centers in Europe and the United States. The analysis found that annual costs for SUIs were lower or similar to those of RUIs in four out of six centers, with the greatest cost-effectiveness observed in facilities where sterilization costs were highest. Over a five-year period, however, the carbon footprint of SUIs was substantially greater: 5,478.2 kg CO₂ eq without recycling and 4,639.9 kg CO₂ eq with recycling, compared to just 20.6 kg CO₂ eq for RUIs. These findings suggest that while SUIs may offer financial advantages in some hospital settings, they pose a significant environmental impact.