Health technology assessments
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Many people need medical treatment, but funding of healthcare is limited. Therefore, it is important that different needs are fairly prioritised. Health technology assessments help ensure fair distribution of resources and equal treatment of patients.
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What is a health technology assessment?
Before a health technology is introduced in the public health system, we should examine whether the potential benefit of treatment is in reasonable balance with its costs. This is done in a health technology assessment (HTA).
Health technologies in this context are "any intervention used to prevent, investigate, diagnose and treat disease, rehabilitate patients and organize health services". This may include medicines, medical devices, surgical procedures or diagnostic tests.
At the Norwegian Medical Products Agency (NOMA), we carry out different types of HTAs where some are more comprehensive than others. Usually, the assessments include clinical effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness. We may also include other aspects, for example ethical, environmental, organizational, legal, or social considerations of introducing or discontinuing an intervention.
In Norway, the assessment informs about the severity of the patient's condition as this is one of the three criteria for prioritization.
We may conduct a health technology assessment at different stages of its life cycle: prior to the intervention being introduced, while it is in use, or at a point when it might be discontinued.
August 2024 update
As of 1st January 2024, NOMA is responsible for HTA of pharmaceuticals, vaccines and medical devices. The responsibility for assessment of the vaccines and medical devices, was formerly at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
Our website is under revision. If you have any questions, please contact us.