At the beginning of June 2018, the Andalusian agency for health technology evaluation, AETSA, has published a meta-analysis on digital tomosynthesis in breast cancer.

Remote follow-up for chronically ill patients is included in a new trial that will start in Norway in autumn 2018. Six municipal cooperation projects received grants to participate in this trial in collaboration with the National Welfare Technology Program (Nasjonalt velferdsteknologiprogram).

New recommendations for cervical cancer screening will focus on how we ensure that all women have the opportunity to participate in screening and on the use of HPV tests.

MTRC has developed reimbursement overviews for 14 EU countries. Overviews cover stakeholders, money flow, payment model, DRG system, innovation funding, coverage with evidence development, the role of health technology assessment, funding frameworks and reimbursement pathways. Reports are delivered in PowerPoint. Video explanations are available as well.

NHS England will fast track clinical trials and improve access for patients. As a result, patients will benefit from quicker access to clinical trials and the NHS will become a more attractive place to undertake research.

On the 23rd of May of 2018, the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) has published an update version of the report “Colorectal cancer screening in persons with familial risk”, which was commissioned to IQWiG by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) in October of 2017 to provide an answer, whether people under 55 years of age with a family history of colorectal cancer benefit from a screening test. Like the previous report, the current one therefore concluded that the benefit of screening for under 55-year-olds with a family history of colorectal cancer is unclear.

In late May 2018, the Health Technology Evaluation Service of the Basque County, OSTEBA, has published an assessment where they compared the clinical utility (safety, morbidity and effectiveness) of radiofrequency tonsil reduction with that of traditional tonsillectomy and other surgical options for enlarged tonsils.

On 28th of May, 2018, the Swiss Medical Tariff Commission (CTM-MTK) has agreed with the hospitals association (H+) on a transitional solution for the application of TARMED, which will last until July 31st, 2018.

On the 29th of May of 2018, the Institute for the Hospital Remuneration System (InEK) has published a joint document with G-DRG proposals for 2019. According to the decision made on the basis of § 17b KHG, the names of the applicants and procedure proposals for 2019 were provided.

The report includes both veno-venous and veno-arterial ECMO applications. Analysis includes the following indications: acute respiratory distress syndrome (VV-ECMO), deterioration of chronic advanced heart failure (VA-ECMO), post-cardiotomy cardiogenic shock (VA-ECMO), post-myocardial infarction cardiogenic shock (VA-ECMO). 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 the 30th of May of 2018, Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) has published a report regarding effectiveness of shunt treatment for persons with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus, which was earlier commissioned to NIPH by My treatment choices platform with the purpose to find and summarize key findings from systematic reviews about the effects of shunts in the treatment of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.

In mid-May 2018, the Catalan Agency for Quality and Health Evaluation, AQuAS, has published an assessment of the efficacy of shoulder arthroscopy for different pathologies and the safety of the procedure for the treatment of shoulder disorders.