Wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD)

In the fourth quarter of 2023, two new health technology assessments were initiated by the Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Tariff System (AOTMiT). The assessments belong to the cardiovascular and neurovascular technology groups.

In July 2023, Health Technology Wales completed one full appraisal on wearable cardioverter defibrillators with the publication of Evidence Appraisal Report (EAR) and Guidance. Furthermore, in July 2023, Health Technology Wales decided to proceed with a full appraisal of radiofrequency renal denervation in the treatment of resistant hypertension based on the published Topic Exploration Report.

The French National Authority for Health released new recommendations about add-on reimbursement of medical devices and medical aids from the meetings of the National Commission for Evaluation of Medical Devices and Health Technologies in June 2022. Nineteen recommendations were published in relation to the registration, modification of registration conditions, and renewal of registration for devices in the List of reimbursable products and services. Opinions concern cardiovascular, interventional radiology, orthopedic, neurovascular and neuromodulation, ophthalmology, as well as medical aids.

The HTA unit of the Lombardy region opens the possibility for the public to comment on the health technologies which are in the assessment phase. The call is open until February 28, 2020.

In late November 2019, new HTA activities were published on the website of regional HTA program of Lombardy Region, after a period of inactivity. Twenty-six (26) new technologies are currently in various stages of the HTA process, and they should all be completed in 2020.

In January 2019, the Austrian HTA body Ludwig-Boltzmann Institute (LBI) has published the update of their decision support document (DSD) 103, which concerns the wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD) therapy in primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac arrest in patients at risk. The authors state that further research is necessary for the development of reliable conclusions.