HTA

In May 2023, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published one new Interventional Procedure Guidance (intramuscular diaphragm stimulation for ventilator-dependent chronic respiratory failure from high spinal cord injuries), two new Diagnostic Guidance (MRI fusion biopsy systems for diagnosing prostate cancer, automated ankle-brachial pressure index measurement devices to detect peripheral arterial disease), and three new Health Technology Evaluations (Digitally enabled therapies for adults with anxiety disorders / with depression, and point-of-care tests for urinary tract infections). Also, four clinical guidelines were updated.

In May 2023, NICE announced that the Medtech innovation briefing (MIB) program was discontinued. MIBs were a part of the advice program at NICE commissioned by NHS England in 2014 to support the 5-Year Forward View and accelerate innovations. NICE will now focus on introducing new approaches to evaluating the most promising health technologies.

The European Health and Digital Executive Agency signed the Service Contract for the Provision of Joint Health Technology Assessment Work Supporting the Continuation of EU Cooperation on HTA with the EUnetHTA 21 Consortium. The 24-month contract is due to expire on 16 September 2023, and the EUnetHTA 21 Consortium will cease operating as of this date.

In April and May 2023, it was announced that the Galician Agency for Health Technology Assessment (AVALIA-T) initiated several HTAs, including the evaluations in the e-health, nephrology and urology, men’s health, IVD, obstetrics and gynecology, pulmonary and airways, surgical procedures, and some other fields.

In March 2023, Health Technology Wales published an Evidence Appraisal Report (EAR) and Guidance on photobiomodulation for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis. Furthermore, seven Medtech-related Topic Exploration Reports (TER) were published, including single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation and AI-assisted ultrasound for deep vein thrombosis; however, Health Technology Wales will proceed with a full appraisal on one topic only - digital wound management tools.

In April 2023, the Finnish Coordinating Center for Health Technology Assessment (FinCCHTA) released three health technology assessments in the field of eHealth, including the assessment of Thermidas thermal imaging system as well as two comparison reports of Digi-HTA with NorDEC and DiGAV frameworks.

In April 2023, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published seven new Interventional Procedure Guidance (concerned Daytime intraoral neuromuscular electrical tongue stimulation, endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage, maximal cytoreductive surgery in ovarian cancer, percutaneous thoracic duct embolization, radiofrequency ablation for spinal metastases, high-intensity focused ultrasound for prostate cancer), one new Medical Technologies Guidance (AposHealth for knee osteoarthritis), and one Medtech Innovation Briefing (Fasciotens for abdominal wall closure). Also, three clinical guidelines were updated.

In April 2023, the Dutch Healthcare Institute (Zorginstituut Nederland, ZIN) published the updated 2023 version of the assessment framework of the "state of science and practice" criteria, including the assessment framework itself, modules with additional explanations for its application, and other information material.

In March 2023, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) in England released two MedTech-related reports in its Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Journal, which concerned total ankle replacement versus ankle arthrodesis in end-stage osteoarthritis, and techniques for managing an impacted fetal head during emergency cesarean section. HTA Journal publishes research reports on the effectiveness, costs, and broader impact of health technologies for those who use, manage, and provide care in the NHS and informs National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance.

The Dental and Pharmaceutical Benefits Agency is currently conducting several health economic assessments of products for electrical spinal cord stimulation. The assessments were commissioned by the Medical Technology Product Council as the first step of the national Orderly Introduction process for new medical devices. The evaluations are planned to be accomplished during 2023.

In March 2023, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published two new Interventional Procedure Guidance (percutaneous transluminal renal sympathetic denervation for resistant hypertension, endoluminal gastroplication for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease), three new Health Technology Evaluations via piloted early value assessment approach (CaRi-Heart for predicting cardiac risk in suspected coronary artery disease, ProKnow cloud-based system for radiotherapy data storage, and Genedrive MT-RNR1 ID Kit for detecting a genetic variant), and two new MedTech Innovation Briefings (QBTest and BPMpathway). No new clinical guidelines were published.

In March 2023, the Spanish Network of Health Technology and Services Assessment Agencies of the National Health System (RedETS) published its 2022-2025 Strategic Plan. The objective of the Plan is to define the main lines of the activities to be carried out and the decision criteria to be used during the 2022-2025 period in order to respond to the needs of the National Health System and continue on the path of excellence.