HTAi Review | June 9, 2023

Your biweekly news source for all things Health Technology Assessment international

Breaking News 

Notice of 2023 Annual General Meeting of Members

The 2023 Annual General Meeting of Members (AGM) of the Health Technology Assessment international Society will be held virtually and in-person on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at 22:30 UTC or Wednesday, June 28, 2023, at 08:00 local time in Adelaide (ACT).

  • In-person location: Plenary Room, Adelaide Convention Centre, North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia
  • Virtual connection: a zoom link was provided to members via email on June 5, 2023.

 The meeting is open to all Society members in good standing. Guests are invited to join; however, only members of the Society in good standing have voting privileges in accordance with Bylaw 4.1. Each Member is entitled to one vote. For organizational memberships, each organization may appoint one representative to vote on behalf of the organizational membership. The voting representative must be one of the ten organizational representatives included in the organizational membership.

The following business will be brought forward:

  • Approval of Draft Minutes of the 2022 Annual General Meeting
  • President’s Report;
  • Treasure’s Report
    • Review of the Audited Financial Statements for the year ended on December 31, 2022
    • Appointment of Auditor
  • Student Category Membership Fee Change
  • Announcement of 2023 Board of Directors Election Results and Directors Recognition Ceremony
  • Announcement of the 2024 Annual Meeting Location.

More information has been provided via email distributed on June 5, 2023. If you have not received the Notice of 2023 AGM via email, please contact the Secretariat at [email protected] for assistance.

Call for Applications: HTAi Global Policy Forum Chair (2025 – 2027)

HTAi is seeking highly skilled and experienced candidates for the Global Policy Forum Chair position. The current term of office for the Global Policy Forum Chair ends in July 2024. To leave ample time for the incoming Chair to shadow the current Chair, we are now accepting applications for Global Policy Forum Chair for the 2025-2027 term. 

The HTAi Policy Forum Chair should be a highly skilled and experienced Chair who has the trust of, and credibility amongst, both the international and/or regional HTA agencies and industry partners. In selecting a Policy Forum Chair, a candidate is sought who meets the following criteria:

  • Has an excellent understanding of HTA used in decision-making, relevant health policy issues and respect for the perspective of all Policy Forum stakeholders;
  • Is professionally connected to and has professional experience working with wide regional and/or international networks of relevant private and public sector stakeholders;
  • Is a thoughtful facilitator who seeks to draw in all stakeholders, keep discussions on track and at a strategic level, and develops policy relevant conclusions;
  • Has scientific writing and excellent presentation skills;
  • Has the capacity, including time allotment and professional capacity, to undertake the role for the length of the term. 

Any HTAi member who feels they meet the selection criteria may apply for the position with the recommendation of a Policy Forum member or HTAi Board member. Policy Forum members can apply without other nomination. Global Policy Forum Chair is a paid position. 

For qualifications, selection criteria, and application instructions, click the button below.

Updates from the Annual Meeting 

The HTAi 2023 Annual Meeting is TWO WEEKS away! Join us June 24-28, 2023, to experience hundreds of high-quality presentations exploring HTA’s biggest questions and cutting-edge developments. The presentations include a keynote and three plenaries that will examine various aspects of the event’s overall theme, the Road to Policy and Clinical Integration for health technologies.

There’s still time to register! If you haven’t yet secured your pass, head over to the Annual Meeting site soon— regular registration rates end June 15 at 23:59.

Recent htai2023.org Additions

The 2023 Annual Meeting website is updated weekly with new information! Schedules for Interest Group meetings and Poster and Oral presentations are now available. Take a look at the latest updates:

Important Annual Meeting dates: 
  • Standard registration deadline: Thursday, June 15, 2023 at Midnight MDT (UTC-6) 
  • Last-minute registration: Friday, June 16 to Wednesday, June 28, 2023
  • HTAi 2023 Annual Meeting Workshops: June 24 – 25, 2023
  • HTAi 2023 Annual Meeting: June 24-28, 2023

Norman Swan to join HTAi 2023 Annual Meeting Speakers

Dr. Norman Swan, renowned Australian journalist and health expert, will be participating as a speaker in the HTAi 2023 Annual Meeting in Adelaide, Australia.

Dr. Norman Swan has dedicated his career to communicating important health information to the public, with a focus on evidence-based medicine and health care policy. He is the host of the award-winning radio program, The Health Report, on ABC Radio National, and also appears regularly on television programs such as 7.30 and Four Corners. 

As an HTAi 2023 Annual Meeting speaker, Dr. Norman Swan will be moderator to Plenary Three, Feasibility of Aligning Technology Evaluation Processes and Decision in an Era of Sustainable Development. He will also deliver a speech at the Annual Meeting Conference Dinner, a favourite event for Annual Meeting attendees.

Learn more about Dr. Norman Swan’s involvement in the 2023 Annual Meeting

Register for the Conference Dinner

The Conference Dinner is one of the Annual Meeting’s most popular networking events— tickets often sell out!

The 2023 Annual Meeting Conference Dinner will take  place on Tuesday, June 27, and will feature a special guest speaker, Dr. Norman Swan. Registration for the dinner is currently open, with increased seating capacity. If you would like to attend the Annual Meeting Conference Dinner, you can add your name to the waitlist through the Annual Meeting Registration link. 

Exclusive Opportunities at the 2023 Annual Meeting

HTAi Annual Meetings offer an unparalleled platform for networking, connecting, and collaborating with the global HTA community. Take a look through the 2023 networking sessions. Please note, some session require invitation to participate.

  • Early Career Meet & Greet | Sunday, June 25 @ 18:15 — This session will provide a unique opportunity to forge connections, share experiences, and build a support network within the HTA community.
  • Welcome Reception | Sunday, June 25 @ 19:00 — Join us in welcoming colleagues and friends from around the world at the Adelaide Convention Centre with its beautiful evening view!
  • Conference Dinner | Tuesday, June 27 @ 19:30 — Spend an unforgettable evening at the Adelaide Oval. Enjoy a 3-course meal and an exclusive talk by Norman Swan. Connect with fellow delegates and show us your moves on the dancefloor.
  • Consumer Consultative Brunch | Tuesday, June 27 @ 11:10 — Consumer focused presentation and a panel discussion, followed by a brunch & mingle. This session is primarily targeted at consumers; however, it is open to all meeting attendees.
  • Patient Lounge | Monday, June 26 – Wednesday, June 28 — The Patient Lounge aims to facilitate a patient-friendly environment to improve the overall experience of patient delegates. The space is for registered patients to rest and refresh, which offers a number of accommodations specific to patient needs. 

Introducing… our 2023 Annual Meeting Sponsors!

The HTAi 2023 Annual Meeting is made possible through the support and generosity of our conference sponsors. 

2023 Annual Meeting Workshop Feature

The HTAi 2023 Annual Meeting offers a variety of workshops designed to share innovative experiences and practices, and to provide learning opportunities for participants. The half or full-day events include interactive activities and focus on developing participants’ skills. 

For the next few months, each issue of the HTAi Review will feature a workshop spotlight, aimed to help HTAi members learn about available opportunities. Registration is open for each of these workshops, which can be included as part of the Annual Meeting registration, or can be attended on their own. Learn more

WS02 – Introduction to Ethics in Health Technology Assessment

Date & Time: Saturday, June 24 | 8:30AM to 12:00PM
Presenters: Pietro Refolo, Bart Bloemen, Ken Bond, Drew Allen Carter, Björn Hofmann, Sharon Kessels, Dario Sacchini, Lars Sandman, Michal Stanak,  Gert Jan van der Wilt
Summary: The relevance of incorporating ethical analysis into HTA is increasingly acknowledged not only because many health technologies raise ethical, legal and social issues but also because HTA is an ‘evaluative process’ aimed at informing decision-making. This workshop offers a lively introduction to the role of ethics in HTA for people familiar with HTA, but not familiar with ethics in HTA.

WS16 – Advanced Workshop In Information Retrieval: New Challenges And Updated Approaches In Efficient HTA Literature Searching

Date & Time: Sunday, June 25 | 8:30AM to 16:30PM
Presenters: Amanda Hodgson, Catherine Voutier, Siw Waffenschmidt, Justin Clark, Guido Zuccon
Summary: Join the HTAi Information Retrieval Group (IRG) for its advanced skills workshop. Learn from engaging speakers and expert searchers as we explore efficient search practices and opportunities to harmonize and align our efforts in Health Technology Assessment. A special focus this year will be highlighting the perspective of librarians, information specialists and researchers in the Australian HTA community.

WS20 – All things publishing: submitting to HTAi’s journal (IJTAHC) – what’s your article type and hot topics in publishing

Date & Time: Sunday, June 25 | 13:00PM – 16:30PM
Presenters: Wendy Babidge, Wim Goettsch, Sophie Werkö, Tara Schuller
Summary: Join Editors of HTAi’s journal (IJTAHC) to update on key areas in publishing and submission of articles.
This session will comprise several short presentations, firstly highlighting the importance of IJTAHC to HTAi, describing article types for IJTAHC and other similar journals that will be followed by an interactive session where anonymized abstracts of articles will be reviewed by participants.

WS22 – The Design Of Health Technology Assessment Processes Using Evidence-informed Deliberative Processes In Low and Middle Income Countries

Date & Time: Sunday, June 25 | 13:00PM – 16:30PM
Presenters: Wija Oortwijn, Maarten Jansen, Maryam Huda, Lyazzat Kosherbayeva
Summary: On their path towards universal health coverage, governments need to make choices in the design of HTA processes which may be challenging in countries that have limited experience with HTA. This workshop provides practical guidance on how to make these choices, informed by the theory of evidence-informed deliberative processes, international best practices and practical examples from several middle-income countries.

Speaker Spotlight

Meet our 2023 Annual Meeting Keynote and Plenary Speakers! 

Plenary One: Fast-Tracking Clinical Innovation: The Balance of Speed and Rigour

Plenary 1 will focus on the possible ways of fast-tracking clinical innovation while minimizing risks related to its introduction and management. Some crucial dilemmas will have to be discussed, and possibly solved, such as:

    • How to minimize health risks?
    • How to deal with medico-legal risks?
    • How to include financial risks in the overall balance?

To have a fruitful discussion, perspectives from different stakeholders such as policymakers, clinicians, and industry partners, will be included.

Meet the Panelists

Plenary Two: Making HTA More Efficient: What Can we Learn about Harmonization, Work Sharing and Adaptation?

Effective integration is dependent on the sharing and harmonization of HTA across contexts. Plenary Two will offer a panel discussion to explore and demonstrate local, regional, national, and international examples of harmonized HTA processes and rules. The most relevant initiatives at regional level (America, Asia, Europe) will be presented to highlight actual experiences and practical challenges related to the sharing of health technology evaluations (whether through adaptation or updating of existing HTA material), joint evaluations of technologies or joint submissions of evidence dossiers.

Meet the Panelists

Plenary Three: Feasibility of Aligning Technology Evaluation Processes and Decision in an Era of Sustainable Development

This Plenary builds on the discussion held at HTAi 2022 on facilitating collaboration between regulators, HTA bodies and clinicians. In HTAi 2023 we will consider how alignment of evaluation processes and decisions between different stakeholders might be achieved throughout the life cycle of a technology. 

Meet the Panelists

 

A Look Back

  • The HTAi Information Retrieval Interest Group (IRG) hosted a webinar on June 1 to review the purpose of search filters and show how the ISSG Search Filter Resource can support you in identifying, choosing and critiquing search filters. Watch the recording
  • On May 25, the HTAi Patient and Citizen Involvement in HTA Interest Group (PCIG) hosted their latest webinar, A Framework for Characterizing Impact of Patient Involvement. In the webinar, PCIG proposes a framework for reporting on the impact of patient involvement in HTA.  Watch the recording

Network News

WHO/Europe Access to Novel Medicines Platform Website
The WHO/Europe Novel Medicines Platform website is now live, and includes access to the Novel Medicines Platform, where HTAi Board Director Wim Goettsch represents HTAi.

This unique, multistakeholder collaboration platform – allows the private and public sector to work together and agree on actions that improve patient access to novel medicines in the Region. Learn more

International Scientific Congress hosted by Bellberry
Bellberry Ltd is celebrating 20 years of supporting research and ethics, and as part of this important work, we are hosting an International Scientific Congress in Adelaide on Friday 23 June 2023.

Entitled ‘Toward a Coordinated Approach for Managing Accelerated Patient Access to Promising Medicines’ this Congress will include a presentation of the issues and a discussion on the options for managing these challenges. Accelerated access and balancing the various stakeholder perspectives are important and growing issues in the global health sector.

A 2.5 day Workshop will be run prior to the Congress, where an international panel of experts will develop a proposed framework, with governance of this process provided by a Scientific Advisory Committee chaired by Professor Emeritus Lloyd Sansom AO.  Confirmed attendees include representatives from:

  • Australian Government Department of Health
  • CADTH – Canada’s Drug and Health Technology Agency  
  • EMA – European Medicines Agency
  • EUNetHTA – European Network of Health Technology Assessment
  • Health Canada
  • IQWIQ – Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care, Germany
  • Medicines Australia
  • NHMRC – National Health and Medical Research Council
  • NICE – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
  • OHE – Office of Health Economics, UK
  • PBAC – Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee
  • PMDA – Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency, Japan
  • TGA – Therapeutic Goods Administration

More information is available here.

HTA News from Around the World

From the European Commission: A recording is now available for the Health Technology Assessment information event with Nordic stakeholders on 11 May 2023.  Read more

From LSE: London School of Economics and Political Science released an article on a recent study which found discrepancies in cancer drug funding decisions across HIC. Read more

From ICER: The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review proposed a set of changes to its methods and processes for conducting value assessments, beginning in 2004. Read more

From MHRA: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency announced new recognition routes to facilitate safe access to new medicines with 7 international partners, including Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan, Switzerland, Singapore and the United States. Read more

From the Bulletin Board

If you have an open position you’d like to share with the HTAi membership, please contact [email protected].

IJTAHC Featured Publications

  • Stakeholder perspectives on cooperation in the clinical and nonclinical health technology assessment domains. Read more
  • Demonstrating proof of concept for value-based agreements in Europe: two real-world cases. Read more
  • A review of HTA guidelines on societal and novel value elements. Read more

Important Upcoming Dates

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