[Incorporation of technologies by the Canadian and Brazilian health systems: prospects for progress in assessment processes].

[Incorporation of technologies by the Canadian and Brazilian health systems: prospects for progress in assessment processes]. Cad Saude Publica. 2019 Aug 15;35(suppl 2):e00071518 Authors: Silva HPD, Elias FTS Abstract One of the main challenges for modern health systems is to guarantee equitable access to technologies with proven quality, safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness, as well as to ensure that their use is based on high-quality scientific evidence. Health technology assessment (HTA) is one of the most widely used strategies in the world to support decisions on health technologies. The article analyzes how HTA systems are organized in Brazil and Canada and discusses the implications for planning the incorporation of technologies in Brazil, considering the challenges posed by the regionalization process and the establishment of healthcare networks. This is an exploratory comparative study based on secondary data. The results show that both countries have fragmented HTA systems with different levels of maturity. The systems are characterized by multiple organizations working in the field of HTA, the scope of activities, and the concentration of activities in national agencies/bodies. Both systems have weaknesses, but the Brazilian case presents a series of factors (insufficient resources, impact of court rulings, heavy dependence on foreign technologies, and incipient regional HTA processes and planning) that make the scenar...
Source: Cadernos de Saude Publica - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Cad Saude Publica Source Type: research