OBJECTIVES

: EUnetHTA was established to promote collaboration between European Health Technology Assessment (HTA) bodies, e.g. through the Joint Act 3 project. This is described as a sustainable model for the scientific and technical cooperation on HTA work for member states. The objective of this research and analysis is to assess the extent of this influence, including information exchange for HTA assessments plus available pricing information for medicines.

METHODS

: We reviewed 15 medicines’ EUnetHTA assessments including: sharing of assessment information, horizon scanning, HTA findings from certain member states and then cross-referenced with EUnetHTA conclusions. Analysis includes HTA publication dates in the EU5, Netherlands and Sweden with EUnetHTA assessment publication dates plus other important criteria (i.e., comparators used; techniques employed for assessment outcomes). Additionally, a quantitative review of selected searches for effects/influence EUnetHTA has on national HTA (i.e., direct/indirect references to EUnetHTA assessments in national HTA assessments) was also undertaken.

RESULTS

: Further analysis is on-going. A preliminary analysis from EUnetHTA, EMA (European Medicines Agency) and NICE (The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) appraisal, G-BA (Gemeinsame Bundesausschuss) assessment and ZIN (Zorginstituut Nederland) covering these oncology medicines sorafenib, regorafenib and alectinib showed little significant deviation in the national procedure for assessing medicines as a result of an EUnetHTA assessment. This was shown for example in the time-lag between EUnetHTA and national HTA assessments (e.g., sorafenib granted EMA approval in May 2014, EUnetHTA assessment on October 2017 took approximately 1,405 days in UK and 65 days in Netherlands to be reimbursed.

CONCLUSIONS

: Current research provides an opportunity to assess the degree of influence of EUnetHTA has on national HTA reviews in EU member states. The expectation is that EUnetHTA assessments may have limited impact in major EU markets but plays a significant role in some smaller markets with developing HTA processes and decision-making capabilities.