Publications Digest

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Sustainability Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Wang et al. evaluated the global warming potential of various greenhouse gases used in medical practice, analyzing both their clinical applications and environmental effects. The study identified anesthetic agents such as nitrous oxide, as well as fluorinated gases used in retinal surgery, as particularly problematic due to their exceptionally high global warming potential and prolonged atmospheric persistence. The authors advocate for targeted interventions to reduce the environmental footprint of medical gases while maintaining clinical effectiveness.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Hogervorst et al. conducted a systematic literature review to map analytical methods used for comparing uncontrolled trials with external controls derived from real-world data. The authors benchmarked these approaches against European regulatory and HTA practices. The review, encompassing European agency guidelines and assessment reports, revealed a lack of alignment between state-of-the-art methodological recommendations and their practical application in regulatory and HTA decision-making. The authors propose twelve actionable recommendations to bridge these methodological gaps and enhance transparency in the use of real-world data.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its EU HTA Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Wang et al. conducted a survey and multi-stakeholder workshop to assess the readiness and strategic approaches of pharmaceutical companies regarding the Joint Clinical Assessment (JCA) under the new European HTA Regulation. Thirteen companies took part, reporting moderate preparedness for the JCA process (with readiness scores of 6–7 out of 10), but expressing concerns about uncertain timelines and challenges in integrating JCA outcomes into national processes. To support effective JCA implementation in national HTA decisions, the authors recommend creating a product-based scorecard for submission quality, increasing member state training, and promoting ongoing dialogue among key stakeholders.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Sustainability Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Mastronardi et al. evaluated the implementation of a recycling program in operating rooms at a single Italian center to reduce environmental impact and costs. Conducted from June 2023 to April 2024, the study demonstrated that recycling 21.8% of operating room waste led to an 11.6% reduction in CO2 emissions and 13.5% cost savings in waste disposal. These results highlight the feasibility and benefits of structured recycling initiatives in surgical settings.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Botwright et al. presented a comprehensive report by a multinational task force outlining good practices for developing health technology assessment (HTA) guidelines. The study aimed to enhance transparency and legitimacy in HTA decision-making across diverse country contexts. Key recommendations address the full guideline development cycle, emphasizing content development, stakeholder engagement, institutional arrangements, and monitoring guideline implementation success.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its EU HTA Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Merész et al. examined the implementation of the EU HTA Regulation from the perspective of public health decision-makers in Central European member states. Their study highlighted both opportunities for enhanced cooperation and challenges related to timelines and scope differences across member states. The authors concluded that while foundations for successful collaboration exist, policymakers and payers must share the responsibility of acting as drivers of change in health policy to reduce duplication of efforts by health technology developers.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Health Economic Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Dijk et al. piloted the CHEQUE tool in the context of systematic reviews of health economic studies in medical education, aiming to assess its usability and inform future improvements. The authors applied CHEQUE to 21 economic evaluations, uncovering a wide range in quality scores (18%‒94%) and a positive correlation between methodological rigor and reporting standards. The study highlighted CHEQUE’s value as a structured assessment tool but also pointed to the need for refinements to reduce complexity and enhance clarity.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Freitag et al. explored negotiation strategies for pricing and reimbursement of prescription-based mHealth apps (DiGA) in Germany. Based on 16 expert interviews, the authors introduced a four-step framework detailing price determination, payment conditions, payment modalities, and negotiation governance. Statutory insurers expressed a preference for usage-based pricing, while a value-based care model was identified as delivering the greatest patient benefit.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its EU HTA Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Pannelay et al. explored the evolving challenges of implementing the EU Health Technology Assessment Regulation, highlighting the burden of aligning national PICO requirements across Member States. The study showed that up to 720 evidence analyses per product may be required ‒ covering various permutations of population, comparator, and outcome ‒ raising serious concerns about feasibility and submission quality. The article also presented a user guide for applying generalized cost-effectiveness analysis to better capture societal value and examined the ongoing debate over NICE’s implementation of the severity modifier tool in the UK.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Sustainability Publications Digest. In a recent publication, De Simone et al. evaluated the environmental impact of liver transplantation procedures performed in Italy by a retrospective bottom-up approach. The authors assessed energy use, waste, anesthetic consumption, and units of blood products transfused for each transplant. The study revealed that each transplant procedure generated about 310 kg of CO₂ emissions, with operating room energy consumption contributing the largest share. The findings highlight the importance of engaging transplant clinicians, hospital administrators, policymakers, and patients in efforts to promote more sustainable practices.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Health Economic Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Kachapila et al. conducted a systematic review to investigate the integration of economic evaluations into multiarm, multistage, adaptive Randomized Controlled Trials. The review included 17 articles, with four reporting results of economic evaluations and 13 presenting economic evaluation protocols. Although costs and benefits could be estimated at interim stages in 14 studies, only five interim cost-effectiveness analyses were performed, and just three influenced decisions to drop or maintain trial arms. Overall, the use of economic evidence remains limited, despite its potential value in guiding adaptive decisions.

MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Al Sayah et al. conducted a systematic literature review to summarize and evaluate minimally important difference (MID) estimates for EQ-5D instruments. The review included 90 studies reporting 840 MID estimates and revealed a wide variability in MID values depending on the population, estimation method, and EQ-5D version. The findings emphasize the need for context-specific MID selection when interpreting EQ-5D outcomes.