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The IQWiG has published an updated version of its general methods in Germany
On February 25, 2025, the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) presented an updated draft version (8.0) of its general methods. Interested parties can submit written comments until April 29, 2025.
The most important changes are listed below:
- Introduction of a new chapter (Chapter 8): This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the methods IQWiG uses to gather information and data from affected individuals and representatives of patient organizations. Previously, this information was dispersed across multiple chapters of the methods paper;
- A new approach to benefit assessment with limited studies: In collaboration with researchers from Göttingen, the IQWiG team has developed a new method to improve the reliability of medical treatment benefit assessments when only a small number of studies are available. If more than one clinical study is available for a benefit assessment, they are combined in meta-analyses to draw the most reliable conclusions regarding a treatment’s benefits or harms. However, for this approach to be valid, the studies must not be too heterogeneous. This new standard methodology for conducting meta-analyses with very few studies has now been incorporated into sub-chapter 10.3.7 of IQWiG's General Methods.
With the 2024 hospital reform, the legislator has assigned IQWiG a new task: determining minimum service volume requirements for different service groups. The methodology for this is still under development and is, therefore, not included in the current draft. A separate consultation process will be conducted for this purpose.
The IQWiG's general methods document describes in detail and transparently the scientific standards according to which the Institute assesses the benefits and harms of medical measures. The paper is being updated regularly; version 7.0 was published in late September 2023.
The full details in German can be found here and here.
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