In mid-August 2019, the network of European HTA agencies, EUnetHTA, announced the final plan of the project OTCA22 “Clinical utility of Point-of-care Tests (POCT) D-Dimer and Troponin.”

Using its deep knowledge of market access pathways in Europe and a specific, fact-based, benchmarking approach, MTRC can support the development of reliable clinical and economic evidence generation strategy.

The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) has presented its second final report on the benefit assessment of vacuum therapy in wounds healing. The previous final report for vacuum therapy in the wounds healing by secondary intention was published by IQWiG in late March 2019.

Using its deep expertise in payment systems in Europe, MTRC has started provision of service of cost analysis to inform the development of health economic models and adaptation of existing models to settings of 19 European countries.

In August 2019, the Austrian HTA body, the Ludwig-Boltzmann Institute (LBI-HTA) published four decision support documents. The assessed technologies are osteochondral allograft transplantation, allograft for anterior and posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, human dermal allograft, and 177 Lutetium.

MTRC is expanding its service offering to pharma companies. The scope of the services includes reimbursement analysis and strategy for hospital (high cost) drugs, cell and gene therapies, companion diagnostics, drug delivery systems and e-health solutions.

In May and November each year, NHS England makes decisions on which new treatments should be included for routine commissioning. The decisions are taken by the NHS England Board based on recommendations from the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group (CPAG), which is made up of doctors, health experts, and patient representatives.

National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI) is currently developing a framework for the reimbursement of telemedicine and health apps (mHealth).

The report presents a summary of the reimbursement situation for use of minimally invasive treatment of benign prostate enlargement in Europe. The following procedures will be considered under the scope of analysis: transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT), Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP), photoselective vaporization of the prostate, high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), Urolift, transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) as a comparator. 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. It is also possible to add analysis in the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Russia and Turkey.

The report presents a summary of the reimbursement situation for for breast reconstruction after unilateral total mastectomy for breast cancer in Europe. The following types of breast reconstruction are considered: with autologous tissue (myocutaneous flap of latissimus dorsi muscle, superior gluteal artery perforator flap, transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap); with the use of implant. 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. It is also possible to add analysis in the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Russia and Turkey.

Patients suffering from recurrent or long-lasting depression can be treated within a structured treatment program (Disease Management Program, DMP) in the future. The Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) decided on the 15th of August 2019 the details on the content of the new DMP after more than three years of consulting.

In Sweden, the Priority Council of Skåne Region prepares and presents suggestions for new methods, routines, and treatments, to be included in the healthcare system. In August 2019, the HTA report for endoscopic procedures in dysphagia was released. The analysis showed that fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing and videofluoroscopy are clinically well-established procedures that have good and equal coherence between different assessors and in repeated assessments.