Finding common ground: collaboration to solve 'wicked' problems

Collaboration is both a process and an outcome. Collaboration is based on the idea that interactions between participants with a common goal, working together as partnerships and sharing resources, can solve complex or "wicked" problems that are not possible to solve in isolation. Collaboration may be simple, occurring between individuals, or more complex interorganizational arrangements across sectors, with the life cycle and size of the collaboration determined by the issue at hand. HTA collaborations may involve a wide range of stakeholders, including HTA agencies at the national, regional, or global level, academia, government (including regulatory authorities), industry, clinicians, providers, and patient organizations. Regardless of the number or type of participants, collaborations need a shared understanding of the common goal, an agreement on aims, and a commitment to shared solutions.Industry and agency members of the Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi) Asia Policy Forum (APF) met in Seoul, South Korea, in November 2024 for open discussions on how to facilitate and improve the collaborative process between all stakeholders in the health system, including government, HTA agencies, industry, academia, clinicians, as well as patients. Over the three days, these discussions identified some of the risks and obstacles to collaboration in the region, how to develop and use collaboration better, as well as articulating the value and benefits of collaboration both in the region and globally.