Latest developments and scope of Health Technology Assessment in India: Tapping into the future

Abstract

Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is a multifaceted approach for informing policy by considering social, medical, economic and ethical aspects in a systematic and transparent manner. HTA is an important tool for decision-making, priority-setting and for resource allocation, leading to Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The importance of HTA becomes more pronounced in developing countries such as India. In this review, we have summarised the status and future scope of HTA in India after referring to the scientific literature available in the form of journal articles and government reports. HTA supports prioritisation of healthcare services to be included in UHC and the provision of affordable and quality healthcare services in India. India established ‘HTA in India’ (HTAIn) in January 2017 as a starting point in HTA activities and this centre conducts HTA studies of various methodologies upon receiving requests from the different central and state departments. HTA in India is a relatively new concept and the processes are not streamlined compared to countries where HTA is established. Although an HTA manual is present for guiding the HTA process in India, there is lack of clarity on the HTA information considered for translating evidence into policy or practice. Additionally, there is a dearth of individual capacity to undertake high quality HTA in the country. HTAIn initiative showcases India’s political commitment towards achieving UHC and for HTA. However, there is an imminent need to expand the role of the technical partners and regional resource hubs in capacity building in HTA by involving the private sector in HTA processes.