Session (CTI)

Economic evaluation to support decision-making in HTA needs to determine the benefits of new medicines and other technologies that should be formally included in analysis.  HTA decision makers using economic evaluation typically define benefit in terms of survival duration and health-related quality of life, the latter measured using generic preference-based instruments valued using public preferences, with these jointly expressed as the quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) or similar alternative.  Some HTA bodies also formally express an equity position, for example using explicit severity weighting.  There have been calls to extend the measures of benefit quantified in economic evaluations, including those suggested in the ISPOR ‘value flower’ and Generalised Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (GCEA). HEMA supports HTA organisations in Canada, England and the USA and advises on methods challenges in economic evaluation for HTA.  The session presents HEMA’s framework setting out the principles of benefit selection for economic evaluation, and its review of potential additional measures, and debates these with experts.