The European Commission created in 2013 the HTA Network, a network of national authorities – including all Member States and observer non-Member States – with the aim of supporting cooperation between them in terms of HTA, and enable their responsible agencies for the exchange of information in order to avoid duplication of assessments and improve the timely outcomes of health technology assessments across Europe. The HTA Network is supported by the advice from the scientific and technical cooperation of EUnetHTA Joint Actions.
In late 2016, the HTA Network updated its Rules of procedure, reshaping the way stakeholders are involved in their operations, with the goal to regulate and allow stakeholders’ representatives to attend the meetings as observers. Following their own procedures, HTA Network launched a call of expression of interest in December 2016, to establish the so-called ‘Stakeholder Pool’.
The Stakeholder Pool is a group of stakeholders, among whom some representatives are entitled to attend HTA Network meetings. They contribute to the policy development related to HTA at EU level through the HTA Network, making sure that their views are properly reflected. This Stakeholder Pool comprises representatives of patients and consumers, health providers, payers and industry.
ECPC has been accepted to form part of the new HTA Network Stakeholder Pool, representing cancer patients, alongside eight other organizations of patients and consumers.
The collaboration with other organizations can be very productive, as all parties involved have shown a high degree of engagement and willingness to collaborate.
ECPC has already started working on issues derived from its involvement in HTA Network, and will be in close touch with the European Commission to ensure that the cancer patients’ view is included in their work and ultimate proposal to regulate Health Technology Assessments.
You can find more information about the HTA Network and the Commission’s actions on HTA here.