HTAi at WHA79: Strengthening the Global Voice of HTA
HTAi was proud to be represented at the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA79) in Geneva by Executive Director, George Valiotis, reinforcing HTAi’s commitment to advancing evidence-informed healthcare and supporting stronger health systems worldwide.
As a non-State actor in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO), HTAi joined global leaders, policymakers, and health experts during a week of discussions focused on some of the most pressing challenges facing health systems today, including healthcare financing, pandemic preparedness, equitable access to medicines and technologies, and the future of universal health coverage (UHC).
Throughout the Assembly, Health Technology Assessment (HTA) featured prominently in conversations about how countries can make fair, transparent, and evidence-based decisions while managing limited resources. The growing recognition of HTA’s role in supporting sustainable and equitable health systems reflects its increasing importance in health policy and decision-making worldwide.
During WHA79, George participated in formal proceedings, technical discussions, and strategic meetings with WHO colleagues as HTAi continues to advance collaborative work under its Memorandum of Understanding with the Organisation. A notable discussion took place during the side event Rare Diseases: A Catalyst for Global Health Transformation, which explored next steps following the WHA78 resolution recognizing rare diseases as a global health priority. Discussions highlighted the importance of improved data, earlier diagnosis, coordinated care models, and stronger international collaboration to improve outcomes for the more than 300 million people worldwide living with rare diseases.
As momentum continues to build around resilient, equitable, and evidence-informed health systems, HTAi looks forward to continuing these conversations at the HTAi 2026 Annual Meeting in Istanbul.
Read George Valiotis’ reflections from WHA79 on LinkedIn.HTAi Members to Gather for 2026 Annual General Meeting
The HTAi Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Members will take place on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, bringing together members from around the world to review the Society’s progress and future direction.
Held both in person in Istanbul, Türkiye, and virtually, the AGM provides an important opportunity for members to engage with HTAi leadership, learn about key organizational developments, and participate in Society governance.
During the meeting, members will receive updates on HTAi’s strategic priorities and activities, hear reports from leadership, and learn the results of the 2026 Board of Directors election.
The AGM reflects HTAi’s commitment to transparency, member engagement, and strong governance as the Society continues to advance the global use of health technology assessment to support evidence-informed decision-making in healthcare.
Members in good standing are encouraged to review the meeting materials in advance and ensure they are familiar with the procedures for attending, participating, and voting.
Date: Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Time: 04:45 UTC / 07:45 TRT
Format: Virtual and in-person (Istanbul, Türkiye)
Make an Impact: Join the LATAM Policy Forum Organizing Committee
The HTAi Latin America Policy Forum (LATAM PF) is inviting nominations for five vacancies on its Organizing Committee, offering members an opportunity to help guide one of HTAi’s key regional policy dialogue initiatives.
The Committee is seeking to fill three Not-for-Profit representative positions and two For-Profit representative positions. Members of the Organizing Committee play an integral role in shaping Forum discussions by contributing to topic selection, agenda development, background research, speaker identification, and the creation of meeting outputs that help advance policy conversations across the region.
Serving on the Committee provides a unique opportunity to collaborate with fellow leaders and experts in health technology assessment while helping to ensure the LATAM Policy Forum remains responsive to emerging challenges and priorities in healthcare decision-making.
Committee members are expected to contribute through email correspondence and approximately four 90-minute meetings annually, including one meeting held in person during the HTAi Annual Meeting. Appointments are for a three-year term, with the option of a one-time extension for an additional three years.
Nominations will be accepted until Monday, June 22, 2026, and will be reviewed by the LATAM Policy Forum Chair with support from the Organizing Committee and the HTAi Secretariat.
Members interested in contributing to the future direction of the LATAM Policy Forum are encouraged to submit a nomination and review the Organizing Committee Terms of Reference for further information.
For questions about the role, please contact the HTAi Secretariat at policyforum@htai.org.
Learn more about the HTAi Policy ForumsDr. Pricivel Carrera Appointed Scientific Secretary of the Global Policy Forum
Dr. Carrera is an internationally recognized researcher and scientific leader with more than 15 years of experience in health technology assessment, health economics, and international health policy. She currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Cancer Policy and is Founder and Director of Healtempact: Health/Economic Insights-Impact.
Throughout her career, Dr. Carrera has led and contributed to influential international research initiatives, including the European Society for Medical Oncology’s multi-country expert consensus programme on financial toxicity. She has also held positions with the Cochrane Collaboration, the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), and the University of Twente.
Her research has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals and cited more than 3,700 times, reflecting her significant contributions to evidence-informed healthcare policy and decision-making.
HTAi looks forward to the expertise, leadership, and global perspective Dr. Carrera will bring to the Global Policy Forum as it continues to foster meaningful dialogue on the opportunities and challenges facing health systems worldwide.
◤ HTAi 2026 Annual Meeting News
Final Days to Reserve Your Conference Dinner Ticket
Attendees of the HTAi 2026 Annual Meeting are invited to join colleagues from around the world for the Conference Dinner, one of the signature social events of the week.
Set against the stunning backdrop of the Bosphorus, the evening will offer an opportunity to connect, celebrate, and enjoy Istanbul’s unique atmosphere. Guests will be treated to a four-course dinner, with beer, wine, and soft drinks included, followed by music and dancing.
The event begins at 7:30 PM, with dinner served at 8:00 PM, and festivities continuing until midnight. Evening attire is encouraged.
Conference Dinner tickets can be added to an existing Annual Meeting registration, and additional tickets may be purchased for guests. The deadline to purchase tickets has been extended to Thursday, June 4.
We look forward to welcoming attendees for what promises to be a memorable evening of conversation, connection, and celebration.
Learn More and Secure your TicketProgram Spotlight: Workshops
Kick off the HTAi 2026 Annual Meeting with a series of engaging pre-conference workshops, running June 6 and 7. These workshops bring together patients, researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and industry experts to dive deep into practical skills, innovative approaches, and emerging topics in HTA. Whether you’re looking to strengthen your knowledge, explore new methodologies, or connect with global colleagues before the main conference begins, the workshops are a great way to learn, share, and collaborate in a focused, interactive environment.
Each week, we’ll be spotlighting the Annual Meeting workshops to help you plan your learning journey!
WS04 – Bridging Health Technology Assessment Results WIth Payment Models For Cell And Gene Therapies
This workshop teaches participants how to translate key findings from health technology assessments into outcomes-based agreements for cell and gene therapies. Using real-world examples and interactive exercises, attendees will learn to identify uncertainty types, design appropriate contract scenarios, and support these with cost-offset modeling to assess financial impact. Ideal for HTA professionals, payers, manufacturers, and policy decision-makers.
Time: Saturday, June 6 | 9am – 12.30pm
Track: Policy & Practice
Contributors: A. Zemplenyi, B. McQueen, W. Lee
Experience Level: Advanced
WS06 – Smarter And Faster Evidence Synthesis: Using Artificial Intelligence To Transform Systematic Reviews
Join IECS experts and international collaborators for a full-day interactive workshop exploring AI-driven approaches to systematic reviews. Through live demonstrations, hands-on exercises, and real-world applications, participants will learn how to apply cutting-edge tools like Ryann and Nested Knowledge to accelerate evidence synthesis—enhancing efficiency, transparency, and methodological rigor in health technology assessment and decision-making.
Time: Saturday, June 6 | 9am – 5pm
Track: Breakthrough And New Approaches In HTA
Contributors: A. Ciapponi, A. Bardach, S. García Martí, R. Tarchand, A. Navas
Experience Level: Basic
WS12 – Strengthening Health Technology Assessment With Patient Knowledge To Shape Health Systems For Community Needs
Led by HTAi’s Patient and Citizen Involvement Interest Group, this HTA simulation workshop explores current and potential roles for patient communities in health technology assessment (HTA). With the benefit of peer-to-peer learning and online inquiry into the first open access book in the field, participants will uncover how and when patient knowledge can strengthen HTA in different jurisdictions’ processes.
Time: Sunday, June 7 | 9am – 5pm
Track: Stakeholder Engagement in HTA
Contributors: A. Single, A. Silva, V. Strammiello, A. Holtorf, N. Bertelsen, C. Munoz, D. Mueller, D. Cairns, D. Wong-Rieger, J. Diaz
Experience Level: Beginner/Introductory
WS17 – Accelerating HTA Evidence Synthesis With ASReview: Transparent And Reproducible AI-Supported Screening
This workshop demonstrates ASReview, an open-source AI tool that accelerates literature screening while maintaining transparency and reproducibility. Through live demonstration and guided hands-on exercises, participants will learn how to incorporate AI into evidence review workflows using example or self-provided data. Primarily for researchers, but policy makers, and participants from commercial entities seeking more efficient HTA processes are welcome.
Time: Sunday, June 7 | 1.30pm – 5pm
Track: Evidence Retrieval & Synthesis
Contributors: J. Bergmann, K. Monschau
Experience Level: Beginner/Introductory
WS21 – Communicating With Confidence: Presenting With Impact In HTA
Kick off your HTAi 2026 experience with this interactive half-day workshop, designed to support presenters at all stages. Led by experienced HTAi leaders and past Best Presentation Award winners, the session offers practical tips, hands-on activities, and real-world insights to help you present with clarity and confidence. Whether this is your first Annual Meeting or you’re refining your approach, it provides a supportive, energising start to the week and a great way to connect with fellow newcomers.
Time: Sunday, June 7 | 1.30pm – 5pm
Track: Capacity Building In HTA
Contributors: K. Facey, C. Goodman, A. Prakash, D. Abushanab
Experience Level: Beginner/Introductory
View Abstract RegisterSponsor Highlight
We are proud to recognize and spotlight our Sponsors for their support of the HTAi 2026 Annual Meeting. Their partnership helps make this global gathering of HTA professionals, researchers, policymakers, industry leaders, and patients possible. These organizations play an important role in advancing dialogue, collaboration, and innovation across the HTA landscape, and we are grateful for their continued commitment to supporting meaningful conversations and knowledge exchange within the international HTA community.
Many of our Sponsors will also be featured through Symposia presentations during the meeting, offering delegates additional opportunities to engage with emerging ideas, research, and perspectives from across the sector. Delegates are also encouraged to explore sponsor materials and resources included in the Digital Delegate Handbag.
Be sure to keep an eye on the program and event app for more information about our sponsors and their contributions to this year’s meeting.
Read MoreYour Essential Companion for the HTAi 2026 Annual Meeting
Whether you’re planning your schedule, connecting with colleagues, or staying up to date on the latest event announcements, the HTAi 2026 Annual Meeting app is your essential companion throughout the meeting in Istanbul.
The app provides instant access to the full scientific programme, speaker information, venue details, sponsor resources, and real-time event updates. Delegates can also create a personalized agenda by bookmarking sessions and connect with fellow attendees through the Meeting Hub.
Getting started is easy. Download the EventsAir app on your preferred device and enter the event code:
HTAi-AM2026
Once logged in using your HTAi credentials, you’ll have access to all app features and be ready to make the most of your Annual Meeting experience.
Download the app:
Need help getting started? Watch our quick tutorial before the meeting and explore everything the app has to offer.
Meet the Editors. Explore the Journal. Enter to Win
Connect with the team behind HTAi’s official journal and stay informed on the latest developments in health technology assessment.
Visit the International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care (IJTAHC) stand during the HTAi 2026 Annual Meeting to meet the editors, learn about publishing opportunities, and discover the latest research shaping the field.
While you’re there, sign up for IJTAHC journal notifications for the chance to win free digital access to a selected Cambridge University Press book.
Sign up For Journal Notifications◤ Looking Back, Looking Forward
Exploring the ideas, partnerships, and innovations that advance health technology assessment worldwide
As the HTAi community prepares to gather in Istanbul for the 2026 Annual Meeting, it is an opportunity to reflect on the conversations, collaborations, and connections that have shaped previous meetings.
Each year, the Annual Meeting brings together a global community of researchers, policymakers, clinicians, patients, industry representatives, and health system leaders committed to advancing health technology assessment and evidence-informed healthcare. Through plenary sessions, scientific presentations, workshops, and networking events, delegates share knowledge, challenge perspectives, and build relationships that extend well beyond the meeting itself.
Recent Annual Meetings in Seville and Buenos Aires highlighted the strength and diversity of the international HTA community, fostering discussions on emerging methodologies, patient involvement, digital health, evidence generation, and the future of healthcare decision-making. The insights and partnerships developed at these meetings continue to influence research, policy, and practice around the world.
As we look ahead to Istanbul, we are excited to welcome both familiar and new faces, continue important conversations, and explore innovative approaches to strengthening health systems through HTA.
◤ Network News
Voices from Across Latin America: Rare Diseases and HTA
What does it take to translate rare disease policy into meaningful action?
In this recent webinar hosted by the HTAi Rare Diseases Interest Group (RDIG), experts from across Latin America explored the opportunities and challenges of applying health technology assessment to improve outcomes for people living with rare diseases.
Delivered in Spanish, the webinar brought together a diverse international audience, attracting 273 registrations and 153 attendees from 28 countries. Discussions focused on policy implementation, stakeholder engagement, evidence generation, and the role of HTA in supporting more equitable healthcare decision-making.
Watch the webinar trailer in Spanish:
Interested in the full discussion?
Log in to watch the complete recording here◤ HTA News from Around the World
Canada Advances Aligned Regulatory and HTA Reviews
Read MoreNICE Adapts Evidence Standards for Digital Care Technologies
Read MoreEU HTA Regulation Expands in 2026
Read More◤ IJTAHC Featured Publications
Patient involvement in health technology assessment: a new process in Singapore
Read MoreEvaluating Artificial Intelligence and Digital Health Technologies Through HTA
Read MoreAdvancing Health Technology Assessment for Rare Diseases: Emerging Global Approaches
Read More