Health technology assessment (HTA)

Health technology assessment (HTA) is a multidisciplinary evaluation of the clinical effectiveness, cost effectiveness, budget impact, and/or the broader social and ethical impacts of a health technology on patient lives and the healthcare system. This information is summarised in a comprehensive, systematic, transparent, unbiased and robust manner.

The main purpose of HTA is to inform healthcare decision makers concerning the reimbursement of new drugs and other healthcare interventions. Using the information presented in HTA, decision makers can also produce advice about whether a health technology should be used, how it is best used, which patients will benefit, and the magnitude of health benefit in relation to the cost. While all HTA frameworks include assessments of unmet need, clinical effectiveness and the financial/budget impact of a new technology, many frameworks also include an assessment of cost effectiveness or other domains such as wider social impact, equity, and ethical and legal issues. HTA is distinct from appraisal: HTA is the analytical process of gathering, assessing and summarising available information, whereas appraisal refers to the political process of producing guidance, which takes HTA and other factors (such as social values, politics, policy and resource availability) into account.