Emerging health technologies (EHT) are important to meet the challenges faced by healthcare systems but a major pressure on health systems as well (1). The International Information Network on New and Emerging Health Technologies (EUROSCAN) is a collaborative network to manage the introduction of EHT and share information on the results of early identification and assessment of EHT (2). This article analyzed the early assessment reports of EHT during 2000–2016 published in the EUROSCAN database (3), in order to reflect the 21st century development trend of the EHT.

The EHT report data was downloaded by researchers from the official website of the EUROSCAN and arranged using Excel 2007. A descriptive analysis on the number and growth rate of EHT, distribution of technology type and specialties, developmental trend of the integrated technologies were conducted with SAS 9.3.

Health technology early assessment reports (3,151) have been published in the past 17 years, of which drugs had the highest proportion (54.3 percent). Most of new and emerging health technologies were adopted in oncology and radiotherapy (32.2 percent). The average growth rate every 4 years of EHT from 2001 to 2016 was 34.6 percent, the fastest-growing period was between 2005 and 2008 (63.8 percent). Rehabilitation & disability was the fastest-growing EHT specialty (184.4 percent) and the integrated technologies was the fastest-growing EHT type (64.6 percent).

With the objective needs of effective technologies to deal with cancer and chronic disease, as well as the revolution of science, EHT were in the process of vigorous development, especially oncology & radiotherapy technologies. The integrated technologies and the ones applied in multidisciplinary areas have become a new spotlight. Early identification and timely assessment of new and emerging health technologies has aroused wide public concern. It is suggested to establish an Early Awareness and Alert Systerm in China.