OBJECTIVES: Up-to-date, publicly available information on the types of medical technologies (devices, diagnostics, digital health technologies) (MTs) that are eligible to undergo health technology assessment (HTA) is difficult to find. Our objective was to determine how MTs are selected for HTA and if the process differs by type of MT.
METHODS: An online survey was sent to 55 HTA organisations across Europe (n = 39), South America (n = 5), Asia (n = 4), North America (n = 4), Oceania (n = 2), and Africa (n = 1). The survey requested information on the type of MT that can undergo an HTA and how MTs are selected for HTA. Quantitative and qualitative data were obtained and collated in Excel.
RESULTS: From the 55 invitations sent, 17 (30.9%) organisations responded to the survey: 12 confirmed that they assess MTs, 3 stated they do not assess MTs, and 2 declined participation. The 12 confirming respondees represented HTA organisations from Tunisia, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, Spain, the United States, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Japan. Among them, 100% assess invasive devices, and 91.7% assess digital technologies (e.g., software and apps), non-invasive devices, and diagnostics. How MTs are selected for review varies across organisations; 66.7% primarily select MTs through external referral processes (e.g., local government), 25% through internal processes, and 16.7% allow requests directly by an MT company. 58.3% stated they do not differentiate their selection process by MT type; 16.7% do differentiate.
CONCLUSIONS: HTA organisations review a wide range of MTs and have varying selection processes. There is little opportunity for companies to request a direct assessment of their MT. Therefore, an MT’s value proposition is crucial in facilitating topic selection because those without a value proposition or with an unclear value proposition risk being overlooked or not selected by decision-makers.
