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, Thöne et al. performed a comparative life-cycle assessment of single-use and reusable flexible ureterorenoscopes to quantify their greenhouse gas emissions and health impacts within a German hospital setting. The study demonstrated that reusable devices are associated with nearly four times fewer greenhouse gas emissions and lower Disability-Adjusted Life Years per intervention than single-use instruments. These findings underscore that medical device choices can have substantial environmental and health impacts, supporting a shift toward more sustainable healthcare solutions.

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, Donovan et al. introduced Cost-IS, a tool designed to estimate the costs of implementing digital health solutions. Its development involved a modified e-Delphi process with 12 experts, who reached consensus on its core design and components. However, consensus was lacking regarding the required user knowledge, how specific the tool should be for digital health, and its digital availability. The authors concluded that further testing is needed to establish the tool’s feasibility in real-world 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, Casado-Arroyo et al. assessed the current landscape of health technology assessment (HTA) for innovative cardiology devices in Europe. The review identified three central themes: the expanding role of clinicians in HTA processes, the integration of digital technologies and AI into assessment frameworks, and significant variation in HTA practices across EU countries. The authors noted that new regulatory initiatives, such as the HTA Regulation, could facilitate alignment between clinical practice, evidence-based evaluation, and reimbursement processes.

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, Kloevekorn et al. conducted a qualitative systematic review to analyze direct sources of carbon emissions in hospital surgical care, using the Congruence Model as a framework. The authors found that major emission sources include anesthetic gases, sterilization practices, and ingrained workplace behaviors, while sustainability efforts are primarily linked to waste policies. The study highlights the value of the Congruence Model for uncovering challenges in decarbonizing surgical care.

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, Jaksa et al. conducted a targeted review of health technology reassessments across six international HTA agencies to examine the use of real-world evidence (RWE). The analysis of 40 recent reassessments found that 55% incorporated RWE, primarily drawing on registry data to address clinical uncertainties. However, RWE use did not alter patient access outcomes, and no de novo comparative RWE studies were identified, highlighting the need for greater alignment between agencies and sponsors on evidence needs and study feasibility.

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, Ivo et al. examined the evolution and future prospects of European-level cooperation in health technology assessment, focusing on the implementation of the EU HTA Regulation. The authors highlighted the critical role of harmonised methodologies and coordinated capacity building in overcoming national heterogeneity. The new regulation is expected to streamline assessments, improve efficiency, and accelerate equitable access to innovative health technologies across Europe.

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, Amin et al. conducted an audit to quantify both contaminated and recyclable waste generated from invasive cardiac procedures in a single cardiac center, which performs approximately 350 cardiac surgeries and 2,900 interventional cases annually. The study found that the center produced an estimated 11,000 kg of recyclable and 30,000 kg of contaminated waste each year, with potential global extrapolation reaching 150 million kg of annual waste from such procedures. The authors highlight the need for sustainability initiatives within cardiology to address the environmental burden of medical waste.

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, Arcà et al. addressed the persistent challenge of integrating patient perspectives into PICO scoping for Health Technology Assessment (HTA) under the EU HTA Regulation. The authors proposed a structured framework based on the Delphi panel methodology to enhance the validity and transparency of patient contributions, facilitating structured engagement and consensus among patients and caregivers across Europe. This approach is designed to better align stakeholder expectations with HTA outcomes, and a study is currently underway to assess its practical feasibility.

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, Thokala et al. provided an overview of how resource constraints can be incorporated into health economic evaluations. Drawing on literature and expert input, the authors identified three distinct categories of resource constraints: single-use resources, reusable resources, and constraints related to patient throughput. They also developed a comprehensive framework to guide a more accurate and realistic assessment of health technologies under real-world limitations. Their findings underscore the importance of systematic consideration of resource constraints by HTA agencies to enhance the relevance of economic evaluations.

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, Basu et al. investigated whether health technology assessment (HTA) agencies systematically consider unique characteristics of medical devices in their guidelines and reports. Specifically, the study examined factors such as learning curve, incremental innovation, dynamic pricing, and organizational impact through a review of documents from 14 HTA agencies, five HTA networks, and the published literature. The authors identified inconsistent inclusion of device-specific attributes, with most agencies lacking comprehensive methodological guidance, underscoring the need for standardized frameworks in future HTA processes.

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, Qin et al. assessed the economic and environmental impact of single-use instruments (SUIs) versus reusable instruments (RUIs) in cataract surgery across six centers in Europe and the United States. The analysis found that annual costs for SUIs were lower or similar to those of RUIs in four out of six centers, with the greatest cost-effectiveness observed in facilities where sterilization costs were highest. Over a five-year period, however, the carbon footprint of SUIs was substantially greater: 5,478.2 kg CO₂ eq without recycling and 4,639.9 kg CO₂ eq with recycling, compared to just 20.6 kg CO₂ eq for RUIs. These findings suggest that while SUIs may offer financial advantages in some hospital settings, they pose a significant environmental impact.

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, Reason et al. introduced how generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), particularly large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, can support health economics and outcomes research (HEOR). The authors highlight that LLMs can streamline a range of HEOR activities, including literature summary, data extraction, report drafting, and statistical code generation. However, they also point out key limitations, such as the risk of hallucinated outputs, security vulnerabilities, reproducibility issues, and potential bias. Implementing LLMs in HEOR necessitates robust security measures to ensure compliance with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the United States’ Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) when handling sensitive data.