Publication Digest: When a meta-analysis can be really useful?

On December 17, 2025, the Ministry of Health published two draft HTA reports developed within the National HTA Program for Medical Devices and launched a public consultation. Reports concern continuous glucose monitoring and the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Comments can be submitted until January 16, 2026.

On December 5, 2025, the Belgian National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI/RIZIV) updated the List of implants and invasive medical devices effective January 1, 2026. A new section “Cardiac defibrillator” was added with 15 new material codes for single-chamber cardioverter defibrillators (ICD), dual-chamber ICDs, cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-D), subcutaneous cardiac defibrillators, and electrodes. A new Nominative list was created with eligible branded devices in connection with new material codes for cardiac defibrillators.

In December 2025, the Dutch Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) opened the submission of applications for the subsidy round “Methodology development for appropriate care” of the Appropriate Care Framework program, intended for the development of new methodologies and conceptual frameworks that underpin future research and (policy) decision-making in appropriate care. The application deadline for the subsidy round is March 31, 2026.

In December 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in England updated its manual on technology appraisal and highly specialised technologies. The scope and terminology were clarified, and further details were provided to support the production of technology appraisal and highly specialised technologies on HealthTech (that is, medical devices, diagnostics, digital technologies).

On December 10, 2025, the Ministry of Health published the Decree for the update of classification systems for diagnosis and procedure coding, effective in 2027, with updates scheduled at least every two years and the continued use of ICD-10-IM until the transition to ICD-11. Implementation will proceed through a pilot phase in 2025 and a nationwide rollout in 2026, supported by conversion tools from ICD-9-CM to ensure continuity, with ICD-9-CM entirely discontinued as of January 1, 2027.