Key Takeaways

• Belgium leads a new EU consortium to enhance health technology evaluations, involving 34 HTA agencies from 19 member states.
• The initiative aims to streamline assessments for drugs and medical devices, promoting faster access to innovative treatments.
• The collaborative framework is supported by a €35 million contract from the European Commission to facilitate efficient resource sharing among member countries.

European Consortium for Health Technology Assessments

Belgium has taken the lead in creating a new European consortium designed to improve the evaluation of health technologies across the EU. The consortium, which consists of 34 health technology assessment (HTA) agencies from 19 EU Member States, aims to streamline the evaluation process for new medicinal products and high-risk medical devices. This initiative seeks to enable quicker, evidence-based decision-making, thus enhancing patient access to innovative treatments.

Under EU Regulation 2021/2282 on Health Technology Assessment (HTAR), which will come into effect on January 12, 2025, this consortium will conduct joint clinical assessments and scientific consultations. Pedro Facon, Vice President of Belgium’s National Institute for Healthcare and Disability Insurance (NIHDI), emphasized the significance of this initiative. As healthcare innovations progress rapidly, the need for effective evaluations of the relative value and costs of treatments becomes paramount.

The HTAR regulation offers a framework promoting efficiency and consistency in health technology assessments across Europe. Facon noted that shared resources among member states will help tackle common challenges in conducting these evaluations. The collaborative framework will initially focus on cancer drugs and advanced therapy medicinal products, with plans to extend to other therapies and medical devices.

Supported by a €35 million contract from the European Commission under the EU4Health programme, this consortium marks an essential milestone in collaborative healthcare policymaking, emphasizing Belgium’s leadership role. Facon noted the importance of a coordinating body to ensure effective collaboration, which falls under the NIHDI’s purview.

Over the next four years, the consortium aims to deliver robust, evidence-based assessments that will enable efficient evaluation of the therapeutic value of new medicines. By creating a centralized process, the initiative will reduce duplication and simplify applications for pharmaceutical companies, making the EU market more attractive.

Belgium’s longstanding commitment to international cooperation in healthcare, demonstrated through initiatives like the BeNeLuxA collaboration and the Critical Medicines Alliance, has paved the way for establishing this health technology assessment framework. Facon pointed out that professional dedication and political support have contributed to Belgium’s trusted leadership in the sector.

This collaborative effort is poised to provide significant benefits for the healthcare systems of member states. By harmonizing methodologies and sharing workloads, countries can save resources while enhancing the timeliness of assessments. Furthermore, a centralized evaluation process will strengthen collective bargaining power, leading to improved price negotiations for new treatments. Deputy Prime Minister Frank Vandenbroucke highlighted that this initiative exemplifies effective European cooperation, which ultimately aims to ensure the long-term accessibility of new medicines while maintaining sustainable healthcare budgets.

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