Details descriptions of the session:
Evidence synthesis and Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is key in supporting decision-making and priority setting (PS), and particularly relevant in LMIC with constraint health care budgets. However, producing HTAs is resource intensive, thus it is important to have explicit processes for Topic Identification, Selection, and Prioritization (TISP) to ensure the right use of limited resources to those HTA topics that are of national/regional importance. In countries where HTA supported decision-making and priority setting are well-established, the process for TISP is usually institutionalized, or at least somewhat formalized. In settings where HTA is emerging, relatively new, or where there may not be the necessary supporting institutional mechanisms, there is limited normative guidance on how to implement TISP.
Learning objectives and target audience:
This session is relevant for a broad range of participants who work with HTA or priority setting. Specifically, we would like to target those participants who develop HTA/PS recommendations and those who use them. The discussions are relevant to participants from both low and high-income countries. Objectives are to:
- Share the concept of TISP for HTA, and examples of various approaches in LMIC
- Identify relevant needs for TISP in supporting HTA/PS recommendations that align with local priorities, and possibly determine what TISP processes are best suited
- Determine how the TISP process can be best integrated when establishing an HTA/PS system/framework (HTA/PS institutionalization)
- Assess resources in terms of dedicated personnel, stakeholders and institutions involved that may be particularly relevant for TISP
- Find out how to ensure legitimacy and impact through transparent TISP processes, and how to best involve patients and citizens
Structure of presentation:
The session starts by introducing the panelists, framing the session, and preparing the audience in terms of the expected objectives. The panelists will give brief talks:
- Introducing TISP;
- Placing TISP when formalizing HTA/PS;
- Relevance of TISP in LMIC;
- Experience from HITAP;
- Experience from Malaysia;
- Experience/perspectives from North-Africa and the Middle East;
- Perspectives from a global health organization;
- Considerations from Sub-Saharan African countries;
- Reflections from Africa CDC. Finally, the audience will be invited to take part in active discussions during the remaining part of the session (at least half of the time allocated to the whole session).
