European Parliament Proposes EU-Wide Health Technology Assessments

Draft legislation from the European Parliament calls for joint assessments of new health technologies including medical devices rather than the current system of individual assessments by EU member states.

Although the EU’s member states are each responsible for healthcare delivery, joint findings on HTA outcomes could help inform those decisions, according to a draft report from the parliaments’ Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

By cooperating in assessments through early “horizon scanning” to pinpoint technologies that will have major impacts, early dialog could ensure better study designs. In addition, assessments can help with divestment decisions when more suitable technologies are developed, the report said.