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A different animal? Identifying the features of health technology assessment for developers of medical technologies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 June 2020

Janet Bouttell
Affiliation:
Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment, University of Glasgow, 1 Lilybank Gardens, GlasgowG12 8RZ, UK
Andrew Briggs
Affiliation:
Department of Health Services Research & Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 15–17 Tavistock Place, LondonWC1H 9SH, UK
Neil Hawkins
Affiliation:
Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment, University of Glasgow, 1 Lilybank Gardens, GlasgowG12 8RZ, UK

Abstract

Health technology assessment (HTA) conducted to inform developers of health technologies (development-focused HTA, DF-HTA) has a number of distinct features when compared to HTA conducted to inform usage decisions (use-focused HTA). To conduct effective DF-HTA, it is important that analysts are aware of its distinct features as analyses are often not published. We set out a framework of ten features, drawn from the literature and our own experience: a target audience of developers and investors; an underlying user objective to maximize return on investment; a broad range of decisions to inform; wide decision space; reduced evidence available; earlier timing of analysis; fluid business model; constrained resources for analysis; a positive stance of analysis; and a “consumer”-specific burden of proof. This paper presents a framework of ten features of DF-HTA intended to initiate debate as well as provide an introduction for analysts unfamiliar with the field.

Type
Article Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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