Health technology assessment

In the second half of April, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published one diagnostic guidance on adjunctive colposcopy technologies for assessing suspected cervical abnormalities, four Interventional Procedure Guidance for robot-assisted kidney transplant, nerve transfer to partially restore upper limb function in tetraplegia, prostate artery embolisation for lower urinary tract symptoms caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia and microinvasive subconjunctival insertion of a trans-scleral gelatin stent for primary open-angle glaucoma, and two new MedTech Innovation Briefings for sleep mask for diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular oedema and disinfecting cap for needleless connectors.

On 26th April, the Italian national agency for regional healthcare, AGENAS, announced that five new HTA documents will be produced for medical technologies during the next months.

In the first half of April, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published one new medtech innovation briefing for device that usesroutinely available datasets to help identify people who are at high risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Emilia Romagna Region published a preliminary information report on the Equistasi® device, a wearable proprioceptive stabilizer for rehabilitation of postural instability in Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and athletes.

The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) has selected four out of 31 themes for the future health technology assessments, which were proposed by the citizens at the web-site of ThemenCheck Medizin service and will presumably be published at the beginning of 2019. The next process of topics’ selection will start in August of 2018.

In the second half of March, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published one new medical technologies guidance for a portable digital system for managing chest drains.

In January 2018, the Spanish Network of Technology and Services Evaluation Agencies of the National Health System (REDETS), together with the Basque regional government, has published a health technology assessment report on high intensity focused ultrasound in Tremor Essential, developed by the Basque Office for Health Technology Assessment.

In the first half of March, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published two new Interventional Procedures Guidance (laparoscopic mesh pectopexy for apical prolapse of the uterus or vagina and mosaicplasty for symptomatic articular cartilage defects of the knee) and one new Technology appraisal guidance for autologous chondrocyte implantation using chondrosphere for treating symptomatic articular cartilage defects of the knee.

The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) released the final report on the assessment of benefit for telemonitoring of cardiac implantable electronic devices compared to a standard treatment without telemonitoring in patients with ventricular tachyarrhythmias and / or heart failure. It was concluded that the benefits of the telemonitoring for patients with cardiac failure or heart rhythm disorders with a fast heart rate remain unclear.

In January 2018, the Galician HTA body, Avalia-T, released the technical review of The Vivistim® system, an implantable device for upper-limb rehabilitation after stroke. Evidence was found to be very limited to advice on the implementation of the technology.

On March 12th, 2018, Institute of Health Carlos III has published an evaluation report on therapeutic efficacy and safety of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for complex regional pain syndrome sympathetic reflex dystrophy.

In November 2017, the Andalusian Agency for Health Technology Assessment (AETSA) published an evaluation report (assessed within literature review) on the utility of exome sequencing for diagnosed dysmorphic syndromes.