In Finland, the Health Care Services Selection Council is responsible for making recommendations regarding the research, treatment and rehabilitation methods. Currently, PALKO is working on the only one assessment related to in-vitro diagnostics - screening for a Serious Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID) from newborn heel. In final report, the Council will conclude whether the procedure is a part of publicly funded services or not.

The report presents a summary of reimbursement situation for balloon kyphoplasty. The following indications will be considered: osteoporosis with pathological fracture, secondary malignant neoplasm of spine (breast cancer). The analysis covers procedure coding, payment mechanism, reimbursement tariffs and policy restrictions in 11 EU countries including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

The report presents a summary of reimbursement situation for diagnostic endoscopic procedures on the upper gastrointestinal tract for benign and malignant diseases in outpatient settings. The following procedures will be considered: esophagoscopy, gastroscopy, duodenoscopy. The analysis covers procedure coding, payment mechanism, reimbursement tariffs and policy restrictions in 11 EU countries including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

On behalf of the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), a working group of the Hannover Medical School (MHH) has assessed the treatment outcomes in case of nasoalveolar molding (NAM) for cleft lip and palate. The report was published in February 2019.

The report presents a summary of reimbursement situation for balloon sinus dilation for chronic sinusitis. Indications include chronic maxillary, frontal and sphenoidal sinusitis. The analysis covers procedure coding, payment mechanism, reimbursement tariffs and policy restrictions in 11 EU countries including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

In January 2019, the Health Institute Carlos III published a report Diagnostic effectiveness and safety of elastography in oncology. An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analysis.

The 13 innovations joining the NHS Innovation Accelerator were announced on March 5, 2019, as part of an event to launch the fourth year of this award-winning national accelerator.

The report presents a summary of reimbursement situation for sacral nerve stimulation. The following indications will be considered: urge urinary incontinence, retention of urine, faecal incontinence. The analysis covers procedure coding, payment mechanism, reimbursement tariffs and policy restrictions in 11 EU countries including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

With a regional decree of March 7, 2019, Tuscany Regional Healthcare has published assessments of seventeen medical devices belonging to various therapeutic areas.

On the 16th of February of 2019, the approval for financing of WISE CRT system in a framework of “forfait innovation” program was released in the Official French Gazette. This financing is provided for the 48-months period; it includes the amount of €25,600 and cannot be combined with other benefits. It is fully covered by the compulsory health insurance schemes.

On March 15, 2019, the Swiss Medical Board published two appraisal reports: “Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery versus open surgery for radical prostatectomy” and “Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery versus conventional laparoscopic surgery for simple or radical hysterectomy.”

The Health Institute Carlos III published a report titled Analysis of the efficacy and safety of peripheral neurostimulators of the sphenopalatine ganglion for the treatment of refractory chronic clusters headache.