Source: Taiwan Today

  The fourth HTAsiaLink Annual Conference kicked off May 13 in Taipei City, bringing together representatives from 14 countries to address health technology assessment-related policy challenges.

  Organized by Taipei-based Center for Drug Evaluation under the ROC Ministry of Health and Welfare, the three-day event involves 156 experts and scholars from 42 agencies and institutions.

  According to the MOHW, health technology assessment is an important government policymaking consideration given the ongoing introduction of increasingly advanced and costly medical equipment and pharmaceuticals.

  “Such outlays have placed a heavy burden on public finances, and are impacting the sustainable development of health care systems in many parts of the world,” an MOHW official said.

  In light of this trend, the World Health Assembly voiced concern in 2007 over inadequate medical technology investment by some members and urged them to conduct HTA to curb wastage of resources, the official added.

  One highlight of the event is the inaugural Leaders Forum attended by MOHW Deputy Minister Hsu Ming-neng and his counterparts from Indonesia, South Korea and Thailand.

  The officials examined issues related to universal health coverage provision as recommended by the WHA, with their respective experiences serving as reference for other participants.

  Founded in 2011 by CDE, Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program of Thailand and National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency of South Korea, HTAsiaLink promotes cooperation among partners by fostering related research through information and resources sharing. (SFC-JSM)