MTRC shares the most relevant and impactful publications in the field of market access and HEOR for medical technologies in Europe through its Publications Digest. In a recent publication, Shinkins et al. developed preliminary good practice recommendations for the cost-effectiveness modeling of diagnostic tests. The authors conducted a targeted review of guidance from key Health Technology Assessment bodies and a specific cost-effectiveness study on troponin tests for diagnosing myocardial infarction. Recommendations aimed to improve the quality of cost-effectiveness evaluations of diagnostic tests by addressing the unique challenges in linking evidence on test accuracy to treatment effectiveness data, ultimately facilitating a better understanding of how diagnostic tests impact patient outcomes and costs.

In April 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published two new Interventional Procedures Guidance (lymphovenous anastomosis during axillary or inguinal node dissection, epidermal radiotherapy using rhenium-188 paste), two new Medical Technologies Guidance (Kurin Lock for blood culture collection and GaitSmart rehabilitation exercise program), and one new Health Technology Evaluation using early value assessment approach (digital technologies to deliver pulmonary rehabilitation programs for adults with COPD). Furthermore, two clinical guidelines were updated.

The Draft Order amending the Common Package of Benefits of the National Health System was published in spring 2024. The proposed changes mostly concern screening, primary and community care, eHealth, cardiovascular, and medical aids fields.

On April 18, 2024, the updated version of the Finnish Laboratory Tests Nomenclature was published by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) to come into force on May 1, 2024. A total of four new codes were introduced in the in-vitro diagnostic field.

On April 22, 2024, the Innovation Committee at the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) announced that fourteen applications for innovation funding of development or further development of the clinical guidelines were accepted.

In April 2024, the Clinical Coding and Schedule Development (CCSD) working group, which develops and maintains procedural and diagnostics nomenclatures for private payers in England, published Bulletins 195 and 091 with changes to be implemented no later than June 12, 2024. Ninety new procedure codes and five new diagnostic codes were implemented in ENT, gastrointestinal, in-vitro diagnostics, nephrology and urology, neurology and neurosurgery, pulmonary and airways, orthopedics, robotic surgery, men's health, and general surgery fields.

The Ministry of the Interior and Health is currently working on the establishment of the Board for Health Apps (Nævnet for sundhedsapps). It is expected that the Board's purpose will be to assess whether the health apps can be recommended to citizens and healthcare professionals in Denmark. The Executive order on the rules of procedure of the Board for Health Apps is expected to enter into force on July 1, 2024, and the Board is foreseen to meet as soon as possible after this.

On April 18, 2024, the Ministry of Labor, Health, and Solidarity published the Order in the Official Journal of the French Republic, setting DRG tariffs and tariffs for other packages and supplements for 2024. New tariffs are applicable from March 1, 2024.

On April 19, 2024, the Innovation Committee at the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) announced the start of the application period for submission of the proposed topics for new funding announcements for the projects in the field of health services research, as well as for the new forms of care.

On April 3, 2024, NHS England published the 2024/25 Prescribed Specialised Services (PSS) Operational Tool. This Tool is used as a mechanism to identify whether healthcare activity belongs to specialized services using so-called identification rules. Forty-three new service lines were introduced in multiple areas, and eight service lines were amended.

In Scotland, the Scottish Health Technology Group (SHTG) develops HTAs and clinical guidelines to support decision-making. The assessments on artificial intelligence supported clinician review of chest X-rays from patients with suspected lung cancer; an assessment of local anesthetic biopsies of suspicious laryngeal and pharyngeal lesions; a digital prevention program for people at risk of Type 2 diabetes were published in the first quarter of 2024.

In April 2024, Danish Regions announced the initiative to establish a new organization called the Health Service Quality Institute (Sundhedsvæsnets Kvalitetsinstitut). This initiative is part of the wider Region’s ambitions to develop a new model of working with quality and prioritization in the Danish healthcare system. The new institute is expected to open at the beginning of 2025.