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News and blog posts

21
Feb 2023

First UK Medtech strategy published

On February 03, 2023, the first UKs medical technology (Medtech) strategy was published by the new Medtech Directorate at the Department of Health and Social Care. The strategy sets the government's ambition to accelerate access to innovative medical technologies, outlines the vision for Medtech, and defines priority areas for action.
17
Feb 2023

Swiss List of Analyses updated in March 2023

On January 27, 2023, the Swiss Federal Office for Public Health announced the update of Annex 3 of the Health Care Benefit Ordinance (KLV/OPre), which contains the list of reimbursed IVD tests (List of Analyses). Two new tests on Monkeypox virus check will be introduced in March 2023.
16
Feb 2023

NICE completed the first early value assessment for medical technologies

In February 2023, NICE completed its first early value assessment (EVA) within the medical technologies evaluation program concerning digital cognitive behavioral therapy. EVA guidance aimed to provide quicker conditional recommendations on promising medical technologies (digital products, medical devices, and diagnostics) that address unmet national needs while more evidence is generated.
15
Feb 2023

New HTAs initiated by OSTEBA in Spain in February 2023

In February 2023, it was announced that the Basque Office for Health Technology Assessment (OSTEBA) initiated several HTAs, including evaluations in the e-health, radiology, nephrology and urology, cardiovascular, IVD, obstetrics and gynecology, diagnostic imaging, radiotherapy, neurovascular, ENT, interventional radiology, surgical procedures, and some other fields.
14
Feb 2023

Surgery for rotator cuff tears is awaiting coverage decision in Norway

Surgery for rotator cuff tears has been evaluated within the "New Method" framework since 2020. In January 2023, the method assessment phase was completed, and the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH) report was published. As the recommendations from HTA are now available, the Decision Forum needs to make a coverage decision regarding the method.
13
Feb 2023

Reduction of reimbursement tariffs for IVD tests registered in the NABM nomenclature in France

On January 31, 2023, the Order approving Addendum 11 to the National Convention for Laboratory Directors was published in the Official Journal of the French Republic. The Addendum implements financial measures provided for by the Social Security Financing Act – reduces the reimbursement tariffs for the tests registered in the main reimbursement catalog for IVD tests in France Nomenclature of Medical Biology Acts (NABM).
10
Feb 2023

Newborn screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) will be introduced in Sweden

On January 24, 2023, the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare recommended introducing a national screening program for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in newborns. It will identify children with a homozygous deletion in the SMN1 gene and 1–3 copies of the SMN2 gene. SMA testing must be included in the existing newborn screening (so-called PKU test). The launch of the new screening program is expected in the summer of 2023.
08
Feb 2023

Regular update of the Norwegian Laboratory Code System released

On January 23, 2023, the Norwegian Directorate of e-Health released an updated version of the National Laboratory code (NLK) system and associated tariffs for state and private laboratories to be implemented no later than March 1, 2023. Twenty-four new codes were added, 179 codes were changed, and 23 codes were terminated.
06
Feb 2023

Specialized Commissioning Clinical Commissioning Policies Work Programme updated in England

In late January 2023, NHS England published an update of the Specialized Services Policy Pipeline (as of January 18, 2022). No new MedTech-related Clinical Commissioning Policies were added to the work program. One new policy on catheter ablation for paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation was published since the previous update. The status of ongoing policies was updated as well.