Two mini-method assessments regarding the magnetic technology (Magseed) for labeling non-palpable breast lesions and robotic-assisted minimally invasive harvesting of muscle patches for reconstructive surgery were initiated in Norway this October of 2018. All finalized mini-method assessments are published in the National Database for Mini-HTA.

On October 26, 2018, the French High Authority for Health (HAS) has announced that the composition of the National Commission for the Evaluation of Medical Devices and Health Technologies (CNEDiMTS) has been renewed.

On October 26, 2018, the European Network for Health Technology Assessment has published the final report of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) for the treatment of age-related cataract. The authors of this report are a group of experts from the Italian region of Emilia Romagna, together with Health Austria (Gesundheit Österreich, GÖG).

In September, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published two new interventional procedure guidance for transurethral water jet ablation for lower urinary tract symptoms caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia and intravesical microwave hyperthermia and chemotherapy for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, one medical technologies guidance for neuropad for detecting preclinical diabetic peripheral neuropathy and two new medtech innovation.

In the middle of October 2018, the Andalusian Agency for the Evaluation of Health Technologies, AETSA, has published a health technology report in which they have assessed the safety, efficacy and efficiency of FebriDx® test.

In August, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published four new interventional procedure guidance for leadless cardiac pacemaker implantation for bradyarrhythmias, superior rectal artery embolisation for haemorrhoids, sutureless aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis and transurethral water vapour ablation for benign prostatic hyperplasia, and four new medtech innovation briefings.

The French National Authority for Health (HAS) regularly publishes new decisions about add-on reimbursement for medical devices. The decisions made in the period July-September 2018 concern various types of devices. In total, 52 decisions were published.

In mid-October 2018, the Catalan Agency for Quality and Healthcare Evaluation, AQuAS, published the evaluation of efficacy and safety home-based hospitalization. The authors have concluded that it is a valid patient care option.

The Clinical Coding and Schedule Development Group develops and maintains procedural and diagnostics nomenclature for private payers in England. In July/August new codes for genetic tests, including 18S rRNA gene and sequencing and ELA2 Cyclic Neutropenia Genetic Screen were added to the CCSD Schedule.

In mid-October 2018, the French Ministry of Solidarity and Health has published an article which describes the change of the financing of the health care system and proposes medium-term strategies for this gradual change. The report has been developed by the Directorate of research, studies, evaluation and statistics (DREES) of this ministry.

In October 2018, the Austrian HTA body, the Ludwig-Boltzmann Institue (LBI), published the update on the PET/PET-CT topic. The report was done together with the Berlin Technical University.

In mid-September 2018, the Swiss Federal Council has placed in consultation the first group of actions that are intended to contain costs in the healthcare sector. The suggested measures will be discussed with all relevant healthcare stakeholders (tariff partners, Cantons, industry and patient associations). These measures should save hundreds of millions of Swiss francs in the long term.