Since 2001, our research has had a direct impact on government policy to fund medical technologies (tests, devices, medicines, vaccines, services and programs) to improve the health outcomes of the Australian population. We have also worked to improve the processes for evaluating these technologies. Some examples of our impact are listed below.
Health technology assessment policy and methods review
AHTA was announced as one of three health technology assessment (HTA) expert groups to provide support for the HTA Policy and Methods Review – the first independent detailed review of Australian HTA methods and policies for evaluating the safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of medicines, vaccines, codependent technologies and highly specialised therapies conducted in 30 years. The Review formed part of the five-year Strategic Agreement between Medicines Australia and the Federal Government.
In 2022-2023, AHTA assessed contemporary research on HTA, and HTA methods and processes used internationally, to inform the Reference Committee’s review of the existing system. Significant stakeholder engagement and public consultation occurred.
AHTA produced four of the seven externally commissioned papers supporting the Review and are combined into a single report titled 'HTA pathways and processes, clinical evaluation methods and horizon scanning'. These informed 26 of the 50 recommendations for changes to the Australian HTA system.
ARC engagement and impact assessment
In 2018, the Australian Research Council (ARC) undertook the inaugural Engagement and Impact Assessment (EI 2018). This report assessed the economic, social, environmental and cultural impact and end-user engagement of university research. AHTA submitted an impact study based on work completed for the Australian Government Department of Health’s Medical Services Advisory Committee.
From 2011-2016, 23 item numbers were added to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) as a direct result of research conducted by AHTA between 2002 and 2016, the EI timeframe. As a result, by 2020 Australians had received 3,339,275 services of proven effectiveness in private hospitals, pathology laboratories and GP clinics at a cost to Medicare of $426 million (Medicare Australia). Read the case study online.
Many more item numbers have been added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Schedule (PBS) following AHTA’s review of over 300 medicines and vaccines over the past 25 years.
HTA methods and processes in Australia
Most key federal HTA processes follow guidance and methods that were developed by AHTA. This includes developing methods’ guidance documents for the assessment of medicines (the PBAC Guidelines) and medical services (MSAC Guidelines) for funding through, respectively, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and Medicare. The methodological guidelines developed for the Medical Services Advisory Committee are considered the international benchmark for evaluating diagnostic tests (Di Ruffano et al, 2023). AHTA developed the processes used by ATAGI to review vaccines and co-developed the methods used for assessing prostheses and devices. The methods framework used in Australia for evaluating personalised medicines (codependent technologies) for government funding decisions was created by AHTA.
hOurHTA
hOurHTA is an initiative of Professor Tracy Merlin who recognised the need for Australian and New Zealand HTA professionals to be able to connect, learn from and share with each other in a virtual community of practice.
hOurHTA provides a forum for experts in HTA and those new to the field to discuss and debate key issues affecting the adoption of health technologies in the health system and to develop and share approaches to address the various challenges that arise.
You can participate in hOurHTA by following us on LinkedIn, or joining our mailing list.
To access our previous webinars, please contact us at ahta@adelaide.edu.au.
Health technology assessment (HTA) course
AHTA offers an introductory health technology assessment (HTA) course to help interested students gain an understanding of all aspects of HTA. Students will learn how health technologies, such as medicines, vaccines, medical or surgical procedures, medical devices and screening or diagnostic tests, should be assessed to inform policy decisions regarding access to and the funding of these technologies. Students can audit the course (professional development only) or enrol as award or non-award students (assessed, with credit towards a postgraduate degree).
Enquire with the team by contacting sphadmin@adelaide.edu.au.
