European cooperation in health technology assessment (HTA) – science and policy

EUnetHTA is a scientific and technical cooperative network of government- appointed organizations, relevant regional agencies and academic and non-for-profit organizations that produce or contribute to health technology assessment in Europe.  EUnetHTA aims to developing reliable, timely, transparent and transferable information to contribute to HTAs in European countries.  It also supports collaboration between European HTA organizations that seek to generate added value at the European, national and regional level through facilitating efficient use of resources available for HTA; create a sustainable system of HTA knowledge sharing; and promote good practice in HTA methods and processes.  EUnetHTA provides an access point for communication with stakeholders to promote transparency, objectivity, independent expertise, procedural fairness and stakeholder consultation.  It also develops alliances within contributing fields of research to support a stronger and broader evidence base for HTA while using the best available scientific competence.  Professor Boerlum Kristensen will provide an overview of EUnetHTA and then focus on how academic centres of excellence can be more involved in EUnetHTA as the scientific and technical cooperation develops into a permanent EU cooperation on HTA.  

Finn Boerlum Kristensen is Head of the Coordinating Secretariat of the European Network for Health Technology Assessment, EUnetHTA (www.eunethta.eu).  He is also adjunct professor in health services research and health technology assessment at University of Southern Denmark.  He was formerly Head of the Danish Centre for Health Technology Assessment (DACEHTA).  A primary care physician and specialist in public health, Finn also has a PhD in Epidemiology.