EU Trade Groups Worry about Joint Health Technology Assessments

EU member states have agreed to begin negotiations on a proposal that could enable joint health technology assessments (HTAs) in the trade bloc, but MedTech Europe and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) are concerned about certain parts of the proposal.

HTAs allow competent authorities to determine the relative effectiveness of new or existing technologies, by focusing on the added value of a health technology in comparison with other new or existing products.

MedTech Europe noted that any joint EU clinical assessment “must have a clear purpose and their results must also enable appropriate real-life funding or reimbursement decisions taken within member states.” EFPIA said that it supports the proposal for an efficient process for joint clinical assessments, but that the current text “risks creating a more inefficient system.”