Innovating HTA: a call for capacity building and standardization

OBJECTIVES: New technologies are being developed in a context of scarcity. Health technology assessment (HTA) aims to support decision makers in providing equitable and affordable access to effective innovations. This study aims to summarize the policy-related findings of a Horizon2020 project on innovating HTA methods and discuss their implications for the governance of HTA in Europe.

METHODS: A thematic analysis of policy-oriented papers ( n = 18) from the Next Generation Health Technology Assessment (HTx) project was carried out to summarize challenges and solutions. Subsequently, via an online survey and in a 2-day meeting, European and global stakeholders ( n = 21) were invited to comment on these solutions and to prioritize future strategies.

RESULTS: Reported challenges included a lack of access to standardized data, differences in evidentiary needs, existing policy structures, and a lack of capacity and knowledge. Suggested solutions were capacity building, national and international dialogues, standardization, and increased European collaboration. Stakeholders had different expectations with respect to the likely success of these solutions.

CONCLUSION: Innovation of HTA requires alignment of evidentiary needs through dialogues, standardization through increased European collaboration, and capacity building. However, without additional investments in personnel capacity, HTA agencies must still prioritize some activities at the expense of others. Furthermore, although European collaboration is important, global alignment might be required to enforce standardization.