A new step for Health Technology Assessment

EPF took part in the first Stakeholder Forum meeting under the EUnetHTA Joint Action 2 (JA2) on 5 February. They defined the work plan and identified areas of work of this second phase running until 2015 after the completion of first part in 2012. This joint action aims to strengthen the practical application of tools and approaches to cross-border Health Technology Assessment (HTA) healthcare.

EPF has been involved in the EUnetHTA collaboration from the start and in HTA initiatives at large. We believe patients need to be involved at all stages of HTA as they hold a unique expertise in this area. Patients have unique knowledge about their disease and how a specific technology impacts on daily life. With this input, HTA can act as ‘a bridge’ with policy-making in guiding the decisions about the appropriate use of technology and the efficient allocation of resources.
 
EPF will be active in the dissemination part of the JA2 with a focus on training. We are convinced involvement must go hand in hand with capacity. HTA is a complex subject that requires tailored educational tools and training. It is not realistic to expect that patients or patient representatives will be able to engage effectively in HTA if they do not develop the necessary means to do so.

As part of this project EPF will contribute towards establishing a sustainable structure for HTA in Europe. As part of the coordination team of the project, we will focus on the development of recommendations to move forward on a European HTA Network.