Italy

Assessments were directed by national HTA body AGENAS. They cover renal denervation for hypertension, next generation sequencing in oncology, robotic surgery, sling operation for urinary incontinence and vertebral disc replacement.

For 19 of the surgical procedures in which laparoscopic techniques are more common, such approach is used in less than 4 out of 10 cases. Differences in levels of use emerged between Northern, Central, and Southern Regions in which the laparoscopic procedures were used less often.

New publication in Obesity Facts provides insights into cost-effectiveness of bariatric surgery in Italy ("Cost-Utility Analysis of Bariatric Surgery in Italy: Results of Decision-Analytic Modelling"). Bariatric surgery was found to be cost effective at 10-year and cost saving at lifetime time horizon.

An updated form for notification of medical technology to Italian national health technology assessment program has been released in May. Any stakeholder, including industry, can make notification, which will be reviewed and prioritize every six months.