In late March 2019, the Italian Minister of Health announced that the European Commission has decided to adopt the Italian national classification system for medical devices for the database at European level.

The NHS Long Term Plan announced, on March 7, 2019, that the NHS will ensure that patients with type 1 diabetes will benefit from life changing flash glucose monitors from April 2019. This will end the variation patients in some parts England are facing. The new guidance sets out the criteria for flash glucose monitoring and the maximum amounts CCGs will be reimbursed for the ongoing costs of the flash glucose sensors.

The Health Institute Carlos III published a report on efficiency and safety analysis of orthodontic-orthopedic devices for maxillary expansion as an alternative to adenotonsillectomy and/or pharmacological treatment for Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome.

In early 2019, the Memorandum of Understanding was signed to support HTA in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The Memorandum of understanding establishes a collaborative approach to the identification and assessment of new health technologies between Health Information and Quality Authority Ireland, Health Technology Assesment Group Ireland, Health Technology Wales, and the Scottish Health Technology Group. These bodies assess and give guidance on health technologies within their national healthcare systems.

In late March 2019, the Italian Ministry of Health has published a new document on medical device governance. The document presents the guidelines for a new governance of medical devices, which aims at the efficient allocation of the NHS resources, the sustainability of innovation, the strengthening of supervision and the transparency of actions and reports concerning the procurement and use of medical devices.

In March 2019, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published two new interventional procedure guidance (for Barnett Continent Intestinal Reservoir (modified continent ileostomy) to restore continence after colon and rectum removal and high-intensity focused ultrasound for symptomatic benign thyroid nodules), and three new MedTech innovation briefings (for system for ruling out coronary artery disease in people with symptoms of stable coronary artery disease, medical imaging software tool for kidney stone evaluation, incision management system for closed surgical incisions).

Norway established in 2013 a framework “New Method” for the introduction of innovations into the health care system through either a national or hospital-based health technology assessment. In this framework, all innovations should undergo HTA before being funded. Currently, 13 ongoing mini-HTA projects are conducted in Norway: robotic-assisted procedures, microwave ablation, and tonsillectomy devices, among others.

In early February 2019, the network of European HTA agencies, EUnetHTA, announced the final report of the project OTCA16 “Bioresorbable Stents for the Treatment of Cardiovascular Indications (coronary artery disease).” In early February 2019, the network of European HTA agencies, EUnetHTA, announced the final report of the project OTCA16 “Bioresorbable Stents for the Treatment of Cardiovascular Indications (coronary artery disease).”

On the Interterritorial Council that took place March 4th, 2019, the Working Plan for the Spanish Network for Health Technology Assessment was agreed and published. The working plan includes 22 health technology assessment reports, 7 monitoring studies, 9 clinical practice guidelines, and 1 evidence-based product.

NHS Digital is launching a pilot to build the process that will enable partner services to connect to NHS login, providing a single way for patients in England to verify their identity and then use the login to access digital health and care services. The five selected partners represent the range of organizations who will connect with NHS login - from large, established organizations to new players in the market. The service will begin its activities in April 2019.

Since 2018 the cost weight for a number of day surgery DRGs has become equal to the cost weight of the relevant hospital DRGs. In 2019 the number of DRGs has been extended, and in total 39 day surgery DRGs are included in the list in 2019.

The report presents a summary of reimbursement situation for capsule endoscopy in ambulatory settings. Indications include gastrointestinal bleeding, Crohn's disease, malignant neoplasm of small intestine and celiac disease. 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.