Mapping of health technology assessment in China: a comparative study between 2016 and 2021

Health Technology Assessment (HTA) in China has recently expanded from purely academic research to include policy or decision-oriented practice, especially after HTA evidence was used to update the National Reimbursement Drug List for the first time in 2017. This study aims to identify the progress and challenges of HTA development from 2016 to 2021 and inform policies and decisions to promote further HTA development in China.

We conducted a cross-sectional web-based survey with policy makers, researchers and industry-providers in China in 2016 and 2021 respectively. The 'Mapping of HTA Instrument', was utilized to assess the HTA development across eight domains: Institutionalization, Identification, Priority setting, Assessment, Appraisal, Reporting, Dissemination of findings and conclusions, and Implementation in policy and practice. To reduce the influence of confounders and compare the mapping outcomes between the 2016 and 2021 groups, we conducted 1:1 Propensity Score Matching (PSM). Univariate analysis was conducted to compare the differences between the two groups. The overall results were further compared with those of a mapping study that included ten countries.

In total, 212 and 255 respondents completed the survey in 2016 and 2021, respectively. The total score of the HTA development level in China in 2021 was higher than that in 2016 before PSM (89.38 versus 83.96). Following PSM, 183 respondents from the 2016 and 2021 groups were matched. Overall, the mean scores for most indicators in the Institutionalization domain and Dissemination domain in 2021 were higher than those in 2016 (P < 0.05). The Appraisal domain in 2021 was more explicit, transparent and replicable than that in 2016 (t = -3.279, P < 0.05). However, the mean scores of most indicators in the Assessment domain were higher in 2016 than those in 2021 (P < 0.05).

Our study suggest that the level of HTA development in China progressed significantly from 2016 to 2021. However, before engaging in HTA activities, further efforts are required to enhance the assessment process. For instance, it is important to establish a clear goal and scope for HTA; adapt standardized methodologies for evaluating the performance of systematic reviews or meta-analyses; and provide comprehensive descriptions of the safety, clinical effectiveness, cost, and cost-effectiveness of the assessed technologies, thus improving the development of HTA in China.