The MENA region is characterised by diversity in its demand for health care and its fragmented healthcare systems. Despite universal health coverage pledges by most countries, gaps in health insurance coverage of pharmaceuticals remain. Even though there are no formal HTA systems in place in the region, there is an interest in HTA and a willingness to explore how a shift toward a value driven system could materialise with the adoption of a value assessment framework in the decision-making process.

This symposium outlines the various HTA models and their relevance and applicability to different healthcare systems; it discusses how different HTA models and the associated principles could be applied in MENA region. In the majority of MENA countries, the system is dominated by price control predominantly through External Reference Pricing (ERP) and without explicit consideration of the value of innovation. This often leads to significant delays in the access to innovation. The session will discuss how the MENA region could transition from ERP to a value assessment system in the coming years which incorporates clinical and economic evidence in an effort to improve efficiency in resource allocation and quality of care. The attendees will be introduced to the first steps put in place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to implement health technology assessment in the context of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the barriers to overcome to build a sustainable and efficient health care system delivering high-quality care.