In the first two weeks of August, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published three new Medtech Innovation Briefings for Biopatch for venous or arterial catheter sites, Urethrotech UCD for difficult or failed catheterization and VEST external stent for coronary artery bypass grafts.

Since April 2016, procurement of a number of devices, which are reimbursed on top of HRG in England via High Cost Device List, was transferred from local level to the national level under NHS Supply Chain. NHS Supply Chain released a new set of questions and answers to the most common questions from the providers. The document provides substantial insights into specifics of the procurement process.

G-BA started review process for number of procedures for treatment of benign prostate enlargement in 2009. After publication of the results of rapid health technology assessment by the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), G-BA was able to come to the conclusion in June 2017 about efficacy and safety of the thulium laser resection of prostate are well documented and procedure can be covered within statutory health insurance in Germany.

A list of scientific societies and technical and scientific medical associations appointed to release national guidelines will be defined in the next months by the Ministry of Health, following its decree issued on 2nd August 2017.

The Clinical Coding and Schedule Development Group develops and maintains procedural and diagnostics nomenclature for private payers in England. New codes were added for video-assisted anal fistula treatment, infracoccygeal sacropexy using mesh to repair uterine and vaginal vault prolapse.

New material codes for neurovascular self-expanding stent retrievers for clot removal (mechanical thrombectomy for stroke) and foam preparation for hysterosalpingosonography were added to the List of reimbursable devices of the Belgian National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (INAMI-RIZIV) in July.

In 2017, PAE was evaluated by the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute – Health Technology Assessment (LBI-HTA) to define whether evidence for this minimally invasive procedure can be sufficient for inclusion into benefit catalogue. Within this research work, evidence in relation to efficacy and safety of PAE was assessed in comparison to transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and open prostatectomy. Based on the results of literature review, LBI-HTA did not recommend PAE for inclusion into benefit catalogue in Austria. LBI-HTA recommended re-evaluating PAE procedure in the 2021 year when new potential evidence is available.

In the second two weeks of July, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published one new (FebriDx for C-reactive protein and Myxovirus resistance protein A testing in primary care) and 3 updated Medtech Innovation Briefings, new Diagnostics Guidance for quantitative faecal immunochemical tests to guide referral for colorectal cancer in primary care and three new Interventional Procedures Guidance for laparoscopic insertion of a magnetic titanium ring for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, transcatheter aortic valve implantation for aortic stenosis and hysteroscopic sterilisation by insertion of intrafallopian implants.

European Network for health technology assessment (EUnetHTA) is initiating a project on assessment of screening of fetal aneuploidies (trisomy 13, 18 and 21) using non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) in collaboration with Galician Agency for Health Technology Assessment (AVALIA-T) and Italian HTA agency Regione Emilia-Romagna. Completion of the project is planned to be on 30th of January, 2018 and aimed to evaluate effectiveness and safety of prenatal screening with NIPT, and also to assess organizational, ethical, legal issues and patient outcomes associated with this procedure.

In the first half of 2017, Galician Agency for Health Technology Assessment (AVALIA-T) published 4 HTAs for medical technologies and procedures including Impella ventricular assist device in cardiogenic shock, microwave ablation for tumors of the liver, microsurgery in limb lymphedema and intravitreal injections. Read high-level conclusions from these assessments.

In the Netherlands, there is a possibility to test novel ways of delivering health care services (e.g. mobile diagnostic modules, online counselling, telemonitoring, screening/diagnostic for some complex conditions in primary care etc.) by establishing short (3 years) experiments between health provider and insurance company. After completion of experiment, analysis shall be performed about effect of the intervention. If it works, a new model can be population as novel type of care service in broader settings. See full list of ongoing small-scale experiment projects, extracted by MTRC.

The package will allow small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to develop and test new technologies in the NHS. This could include innovations such as digital technologies to help patients manage their conditions from home instead of a hospital, or to develop new medicines. Access to this funding will also speed up the time it takes to get new technologies from the lab to patients in the NHS.