Harnessing health economic evaluation for policy and practice

Area of Science:

• Health Economics
• Health Policy
• Technology Assessment

Background:

• Health economic evaluation is crucial for evidence-informed health policy.
• It supports prioritization of high-value care and optimal resource use.
• The HTAsiaLink network and global literature provide diverse experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the role of health economic evaluation across the technology lifecycle.
• To highlight how these methods guide decision-making amid technological advances and resource constraints.
• To examine challenges and opportunities in applying these evaluations.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of experiences from the HTAsiaLink network.
• Review of global literature on health economic evaluation.
• Analysis of diverse country experiences and case studies.

Main Results:

• Health economic evaluation methods guide value-based, equitable, and sustainable decision-making.
• Key challenges include integrating equity and environmental impacts.
• Adapting frameworks for novel technologies is an ongoing opportunity.
• Diverse country experiences illustrate practical applications.

Conclusions:

• Strengthening deliberative processes is essential for effective health economic evaluation.
• Building capacity and adopting flexible methods are crucial.
• Harnessing the full potential of health economic evaluation requires continuous improvement and adaptation.