International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care - Characteristics of published mini and rapid Health Technology Assessments (HTA) reports: a cross-sectional analysis

 

I'm proud to be a patient co-author on a paper published in the International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care. All about the exciting world of Health Technology Assessments.

Why this matters:
Decision-makers often need evidence fast to approve new medical devices or procedures. "Rapid" HTAs are the solution. The paper analyzes 203 reports from 21 agencies globally to see how "rapid" health decisions are actually made.

What we found:

• Safety First: Clinical effectiveness (99%) and safety (82.3%) are almost always prioritized.
• The Gaps: Ethical, legal, and social impacts are often omitted or simplified.
• Engagement: 75% of reports included interest-holder engagement, mostly via public consultations and advisory groups.
• The Goal: We need standardized guidelines and better transparency to ensure "fast" evidence is also "reliable" evidence. This research is a vital step toward a clearer framework for rapid HTAs.

Full paper here:
"Characteristics of published mini and rapid Health Technology Assessments (HTA) reports: a cross-sectional analysis"

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