Ethics is a set of moral principles that guide our behavior when it affects others. HTAi acknowledges the fundamental values of “service, collaboration, professionalism and integrity, transparency, accountability”. Ethical conduct balances self-interest with consequences of that behavior for others. Unethical behavior has serious personal consequences and in the case of HTA practitioners it can damage stakeholder trust and thereby hinder implementation of evidence by policy makers. Compliance with regulation alone may not suffice in building stakeholder confidence. There is need for individuals and agencies to develop a ‘culture of integrity’ at all levels in the HTA process above and beyond compliance with the law. A strong ethical culture will foster trust of stakeholders, strengthen collaboration, improve implementation of recommendations and benefit society. This is the importance of developing a code of ethics to guide conduct and detail standards of professional practice expected of HTA practitioners affiliated to HTAi and related agencies.

I will argue for the development of a detailed code of ethics for HTAi and related agencies. To do this, I will explain how the code of ethics gives guidance and informs the users (HTA practitioners), and how they can guide stakeholders in the HTA processes. The public relations benefits of a code of ethics will also be discussed. I will explain why having a mere list of seven words as “values” is not sufficient guidance to professionals with diverse backgrounds who are collaborating in a multidisciplinary team.

The role of a code of ethics in helping professionals to choose their actions well is an effective way to integrate ethics in HTA, safeguard the integrity of HTA processes, and improve evidence implementation by stakeholders.

HTAi should develop a detailed code of ethics for its membership.