The European Network for Health Technology Assessment — EUnetHTA

Abstract

Health Technology Assessment (HTA) seeks to provide health policy makers with the right information by using the best scientific evidence on the medical, social, economic and ethical implications of investments in health care.In 2004 the European Commission and Council of Ministers targeted HTA as a political priority recognized as an urgent need for establishing a sustainable European network on HTA. A group of 35 organizations throughout Europe answered the Commission’s call for the establishment of such a network. Finally the project has 60 Partners (35 Associated and 25 Collaborating). Twenty-seven European countries are represented of which 25 are Member States of the European Union. The 25 Collaborating Partners include international organizations such as WHO (HEN), OECD, INAHTA and HTAi, among others. This composition of organizations indicates the international interest and perspective of this project.EUnetHTA forms a cohesive, transparent network of HTA bodies, ministries of health and research institutions to maximize the use of existing evidence and reduce the overlap of effort in HTA activities in Europe.The project is divided into 8 distinct but interrelated work packages with their own milestones and deliverables (WP1: Coordination of the Project, WP2: EUnetHTA Communications, WP3: Evaluation of the Project, WP4: Common Core HTA, WP5: Adapting Existing HTAs from one Country to the other Settings, WP6: Transferability to Health Policy, WP7: Monitoring Development for Emerging/New Technologies and Prioritization of HTAs, WP8: Systems to Support HTA in Member States with Limited institutionalization of HTA Activities).Ultimately EUnetHTA aims to identify the best medical practice to help decision makers invest in safe, effective technologies and avoid spending scarce resources on methods that are not equally safe and effective, or even perhaps harmful.KeywordsEUnetHTAHealth Technology AssessmentHealth PolicyEuropean NetworkMedical Practice