Reference case

A ‘reference case’ is a formal statement of accepted methods and assumptions underpinning analyses to which health technology assessment (HTA) submissions should conform, established by some HTA bodies. The purpose is to ensure a level of consistency between submissions and assessments of evidence. For example, the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) reference case (for technology appraisals) includes statements on defining the decision problem, choice of comparator, perspective, time horizon and discounting, sources of data, and preferred type of economic evaluation. Non-reference case methods and analyses are usually permitted, but a justification for the deviation from the reference case is required.