Screening

On August 30, 2023, the National Board of Health and Welfare introduced national screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in newborns. The screening test will identify children with homozygous deletion in the SMN1 gene and 1–3 copies of the SMN2 gene. As a result, those affected by the most severe forms of SMA can receive treatment before the onset of symptoms.

In August 2023, the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) announced that the annual call for new topics is rescheduled. The next call will open from July 1 to September 30, 2024, and there will be no annual call in 2023. During the call, stakeholders can propose potential new screening programs or new technologies not yet considered by the UK NSC.

In August 2023, the Basque Office for Health Technology Assessment (OSTEBA) is working on several HTAs, including the evaluations in the cardiovascular, diagnostic imaging, e-health, ENT, ICU/OR, nephrology and urology, IVD, neurovascular, obstetrics and gynecology, surgical procedures, and some other fields.

Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is an independent statutory authority that develops national health technology assessments to support decision-making in Ireland. In the second quarter of 2023, HIQA published one new Med Tech-related assessment concerning slot-scanning biplanar digital X-ray imaging systems for orthopedic conditions.

In early August 2023, the Polish Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Tariff System (AOTMiT) announced the start of the evaluation of several technologies in men’s health, neuromodulation and in-vitro diagnostics fields.

In April and May 2023, it was announced that the Galician Agency for Health Technology Assessment (AVALIA-T) initiated several HTAs, including the evaluations in the e-health, nephrology and urology, men’s health, IVD, obstetrics and gynecology, pulmonary and airways, surgical procedures, and some other fields.

On March 17, 2023, the French National Authority for Health (HAS) published an update on its recommendations for techniques to be used within the organized breast cancer screening. HAS recommends introducing mammography by tomosynthesis in association with the reconstruction of a synthetic 2D image.

A new preeclampsia screening algorithm has been evaluated within the "New Method" framework since 2021. The algorithm helps to predict the risk of preeclampsia in the first trimester based on several parameters, including ultrasound examination and measurement of the Placenta Growth Factor (PIGF). In March 2023, the Decision Forum for "New Method" was held and commissioned to perform the implementation study of a new screening algorithm at St. Olav's Hospital.

On February 23, 2023, the Innovation Committee at the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) published the decisions, recommending the transfer to standard care for another three completed projects. The projects relate to preventing the family risk of colorectal carcinoma, shared decision-making in the hospitals, and digitally supported drug therapy management.

In February 2023, it was announced that the Basque Office for Health Technology Assessment (OSTEBA) initiated several HTAs, including evaluations in the e-health, radiology, nephrology and urology, cardiovascular, IVD, obstetrics and gynecology, diagnostic imaging, radiotherapy, neurovascular, ENT, interventional radiology, surgical procedures, and some other fields.

On January 24, 2023, the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare recommended introducing a national screening program for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in newborns. It will identify children with a homozygous deletion in the SMN1 gene and 1–3 copies of the SMN2 gene. SMA testing must be included in the existing newborn screening (so-called PKU test). The launch of the new screening program is expected in the summer of 2023.

On December 19, 2022, the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa) issued a draft release of the DRG package for 2024, including new procedure codes, new diagnosis codes, and several new DRGs. These changes concern pulmonary, gynecology, ENT, orthopedics, and other technology groups.