OBJECTIVES: Hungary and Poland are both Central Eastern European countries with a significant number of experts in health economics and health policy. Hungary established its health technology assessment (HTA) office in 2004 while the Polish counterpart was established in 2005. The objective of this research was to compare the two institutions, the Hungarian OGYÉI-TÉF and Polish AOTMiT.

METHODS: A set of objective criteria was collected, both qualitative and quantitative, in order to compare the two offices, based on publicly available data, with the assistance of current employees. These include the number of staff, the number of submissions assessed, the level of transparency and list of designated tasks.

RESULTS: Both institutions are active members of international collaborations, for example the European network for health technology assessment (EUnetHTA). The two offices conduct their assessments according to similar methodological concepts. Currently, OGYÉI-TÉF has 13 employees, while AOTMiT operates with a staff of 59 experts dedicated to conducting HTA. The Hungarian institution is an active participant in the so-called early dialogues of EUnetHTA, and benefits from the well-established local HTA education system. AOTMiT has broader responsibility that extends into setting of tariffs on healthcare benefits. In Hungary the entirety of submissions and assessments remain confidential, while Polish AOTMiT's assessments have been public for several years now.

CONCLUSIONS: Several similarities have been identified between the two institutions, for example in terms of methodology and domestic activities. The Hungarian institution has yet to realize its full potential, compared to the Polish HTA office. In order to achieve further capacity building and the advancement in transparency, increased financial support can be advised. In addition, AOTMiT could also benefit from further capacity building and increased formal engagement in European activities.