Health technology assessment

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK issued one Interventional Procedure Guidance, one Med Tech Innovation Briefing and updated two of Clinical Guidelines in April 2017.

The Forum of Norwegian payers made decision about introduction of three medical technologies: mechanical thrombectomy for stroke, baroreflex activation therapy for resistant hypertension and non-invasive prenatal testing for detection of trisomy 13, 18 and 21.

Three mini-HTAs were published since beginning of 2017: procalcitonin for diagnostic of bacterial infections, Per Oral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) for achalasia, and use of the Prosigna test (PAM50 ROR) for decisions on adjuvant treatment in breast cancer. These assessments can support introduction of methods at local hospital level in Norway.

Assessment using HTA Core Model framework revealed that technology is safe, but evidence of efficacy is limited.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK issued two Interventional Procedure Guidance, one Medical Technology Guidance, five Med Tech Innovation Briefings and updated number of Clinical Guidelines in March 2017.

The French National Authority for Health (HAS) has released report about evaluation of cardiac defibrillation probes and proposed updated nomenclature.

Belgian Health Care Knowledge Center issued information about ongoing and planned health technology assessments of medical technologies and IVD tests. They include external cardiac defibrillators, bariatric surgery, OncoType for breast cancer, peripheral drug eluting balloons and others.

A paper comes in response to the European Commission's impact assessment on ways to strengthen the use of and cooperation on Health Technology Assessments (HTAs) at European level. Med Tech Europe proposes five key principles for such a cooperation.

NICE in the UK has released a consultation document in relation to the TAVI procedure (Interventional Procedure Guidance). Publication of the final guidance, which will replace the guidance from the 2012, is expected in July 2017.