Increasing the generalizability of economic evaluations: Recommendations for the design, analysis, and reporting of studies

OBJECTIVES: Health technology assessment (HTA) is increasingly an international activity, and HTA agencies collaborate to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort. However, the sharing of the results from HTAs raises questions about their generalizability; namely, are the results of an HTA undertaken in one country relevant to another? METHODS: This study presents recommendations for increasing the generalizability of economic evaluations. They represent an important component of HTAs and are commonly thought to have limited generalizability. RESULTS: Recommendations are given for studies using patient-level data (i.e., evaluations conducted alongside clinical trials) and for studies using decision analytic modeling. CONCLUSIONS: If implemented, the recommendations would increase the value for investments in HTA.