European Collaboration in Health Technology Assessment (HTA): goals, methods and outcomes with specific focus on medical devices

All healthcare systems in Europe and worldwide have to make decisions on investments in new medical interventions such as screening programs, large technical equipment, drugs or medical devices. The work programmes of European health technology assessment (HTA) agencies therefore comprise similar topics, as decision support for such investments is often given at the same point in time. This insight is not novel and is mainly based on an overview of the HTA database for published reports [ 1 ]. To avoid the apparent duplication and the inefficiency of conducting several similar HTAs globally, the HTA research community launched this initiative in the early 90s to harmonise methodologies and coordinate collaboration. The European Network for Health Technology Assessment (EUnetHTA) started in 2006 and is still supported by European Commission research grants. The aim was to establish a network of public national HTA agencies, research institutes and health ministries. The project was followed by a transition year before the first joint action (JA) started in 2010. The Cross Border Directive (2011) provided the political and regulatory framework for Joint Action 1 (JA1) and the succeeding JA2 and JA3, stating in article 15 that “The Union shall support and facilitate cooperation and the exchange of scientific information among Member States within a voluntary network connecting national authorities or bodies responsible for health technology assessment designated by the Member States” [ 2 ].