Innovation and the Burden of Disease- Retrospective Observational Study of New and Emerging Health Technologies Reported by the EuroScan Network from 2000 to 2009

Mar 1, 2012, 00:00
10.1016/j.jval.2011.11.034
https://www.valueinhealthjournal.com/article/S1098-3015(11)03657-6/fulltext
Title : Innovation and the Burden of Disease- Retrospective Observational Study of New and Emerging Health Technologies Reported by the EuroScan Network from 2000 to 2009
Citation : https://www.valueinhealthjournal.com/action/showCitFormats?pii=S1098-3015(11)03657-6&doi=10.1016/j.jval.2011.11.034
First page : 376
Section Title : Comparative Effectiveness Research/Health Technology Assessment
Open access? : No
Section Order : 19

Objectives

Medical innovation in developed countries has been linked to burden of disease, with more innovation in areas representing greater investment return. This study used horizon scanning or early awareness and alert activity as a novel measure of innovation to determine whether new and emerging health technologies reported by international horizon scanning agencies reflected diseases constituting the greatest burden.

Methods

This was a retrospective observational study of the 20 member agencies of EuroScan (the International Information Network on New and Emerging Health Technologies), representing 17 developed countries. Burden of disease was defined as disability-adjusted life-years, taken from the 2004 World Health Organization Global Burden of Disease estimates. This analysis focused on 102 specific diseases within 21 broader groups. Horizon scanning output was measured as the number of technologies reported by EuroScan member agencies between 2000 and 2009.

Results

At best there was a weak association between innovation and burden of disease. An apparent high-level association was dependent on just three high-prevalence disease groups: malignant neoplasms, neuropsychiatric conditions, and cardiovascular disease. Disaggregating broader groups into specific diseases further weakened the association. Innovation is disproportionately strong in cancer and nonischemic heart disease and disproportionately weak in mental health.

Conclusions

Innovations reported by early awareness and alert systems do not always reflect conditions accounting for the highest morbidity and mortality. The results do not support previous reports of a positive relationship between burden of disease and innovation, but accord with evidence of notable discrepancies among key groups. Factors other than disease burden drive innovation.

Categories :
  • Cost/Cost of Illness/Resource Use Studies
  • Economic Evaluation
  • Epidemiology & Public Health
  • Prevalence, Incidence & Disease Risk Factors
Tags :
  • burden of illness
  • epidemiology
  • health services
  • innovation
Regions :
  • Africa
  • Eastern and Central Europe
  • Middle East
  • Western Europe
ViH Article Tags :