Health technology assessment in Europe: the challenge of coordination

Summary:

Recognising that critical health policy issues need to be faced, in November 1991 the Ministers for Health of the European Union adopted a resolution on fundamental health choices. They indicated that closer co-operation and collaboration between Member States was both desirable and necessary. The Ministers identified one important issue: 'value for money in health care'. They also identified health technology assessment (HTA) as a key tool to improve the management of scarce health care resources. Within this field, clinical health technology is defined broadly as the pharmaceuticals, devices, and medical and surgical procedures offered by the health care system, including such complex technologies as intensive care.

This report is in the context of critical European health policy issues, and specifically reviews the present and potential future for HTA in European health care.