Certain medical devices are financed within the DRG tariff but require explicit review to ensure that they are safe and effective. This mechanism is called “intra-DRG” (intra-GHS) coverage. On August 5, 2021, the new version of the intra-DRG list was published by the French Ministry of Solidarity and Health. No new devices were added to the list compared to the version of November 2020.

On August 11, 2021, the Dutch Healthcare Institute (ZIN) published the assessment of Oncotype DX®. The assessment was conducted to confirm whether the test complies with the criteria of "science and practice" to determine if it can be reimbursed under the basic health insurance package. In conclusion, the test can be reimbursed under the basic health insurance package.

In July 2021, the UK Government released its Life Sciences Vision, which sets out a 10-year strategy for the Life Sciences sector to address the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and some of our generation's most pressing healthcare challenges, such as cancer, obesity, dementia. This Vision is a high-level document that does not set out the specific programs. The Government will set out its detailed delivery plan later, and the Sector will have the opportunity to decide where it wishes to co-invest.

The French Ministry of Solidarity and Health constantly announces the new experiments initiated under Article 51 of the Social Security Financing Act. These experiments are focused on various topics concerning medical technologies and the organization of care. At the end of July, three new experiments related to the system of care for people with disabilities, families with overweight children, and homeless drug users were announced.

In July 2021, 31 clinical guidelines were released in Russia: irritable bowel syndrome, rectal prolapse, chronic kidney disease, and others. Furthermore, the orders on the approval of the several standards of medical care entered into force, including standards for the provision of medical care for adults with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction, hemorrhoids, and anal fistula.

The NHS Digital has opened the application period for changes in the OPCS-4 nomenclature of procedure codes, which is updated every three years. The applications can be submitted via Request Submission Portal not later than October 01, 2021, to be implemented in the OPCS-4.10 version from April 01, 2023.

On July 30, 2021, the final version of the French DRG manual was published on the website of the Technical Agency for Information on Hospitalizations (ATIH). No new DRGs or other changes compared to the preliminary version published in March 2021 have been introduced.

Earlier this year, the Spanish authorities introduced endobronchial valves for persistent air leakage into the Common Package of Benefits of the National Health System. This decision was based on the reports (HTA report and monitoring study) by the Evaluation Unit of the Canary Islands Health Service (SESCS). On July 22, 2021, the Resolution outlining the conditions for the provision of the service was published.

In late July 2021, two new COVID-19 antigen tests were added to the Laboratory Test Nomenclature (Laboratoriotutkimusnimikkeistö) in Finland.

In late July 2021, NHS England opened a call for applications to the High Cost Device List (HCDL) changes for the 2022/23 National Tariff Payment System. The completed application form should be submitted via email by September 30, 2021. HCDL is an add-on reimbursement for medical devices and in-vitro diagnostic tests, so the amount is paid in addition to the payment for regular care.

On July 29, 2021, the French Ministry of Solidarity and Health published the instruction related to the 2021 application for coverage with evidence development programs. In the instruction, the specific fields of research, the application procedures, and the deadlines for applications for different types of projects (PHRC, PRME, PREPS, PRT) are specified.

In July 2021, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published one new Interventional Procedure Guidance (inducing and maintaining normothermia using temperature modulation devices to improve outcomes after stroke or subarachnoid hemorrhage) and four new Medtech Innovation Briefings (HealthVCF for detecting vertebral compression fractures on CT scans, trublood-prostate for triaging and diagnosing people with prostate cancer symptoms, AI technologies for detecting diabetic retinopathy, and Acumen IQ sensor for predicting hypotension risk).