UEMO Joins EU Stakeholders in Advancing Health Technology Assessment
The European Union has entered a new phase of cooperation in Health Technology Assessment (HTA), marked by two big events held in Brussels where UEMO was present :
- The 5th EU-HTA Stakeholders’ Meeting on July 1st
- The conference “EU Health Technology Assessment: The Beginning of a New Era of Collaboration” on July 2nd, 2025.
These events brought together policymakers, healthcare professionals, patients, and stakeholders to discuss progress, challenges, and the way forward for HTA in Europe as the implementation of the EU HTA Regulation continues.
Strong commitment to collaboration and expert engagement
At the Stakeholders’ Meeting on July 1st, attended by 76 representatives from across Europe, the importance of identifying and involving clinical and patient experts in HTA was a key focus. UEMO was pleased to announce its collaboration with WONCA (World Organization of Family Doctors) to support the European Commission in identifying general medicine experts for Joint Clinical Assessments (JCAs). This initiative will be formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) currently being drafted.
Stakeholders expressed a unanimous call for greater clarity in expert selection processes, including transparent language, longer timelines, and appropriate training. Additionally, they emphasized the importance of providing feedback to experts while respecting confidentiality and called for clearer guidance on conflicts of interest, particularly in the context of rare diseases.
Advancing HTA through digital innovation and inclusivity
The following day’s conference, opened by European Commissioner Olivér Várhely, focused on the evolution of HTA and its future trajectory. A keynote lecture explored the transformative role of artificial intelligence in HTA, noting both the opportunities and challenges AI poses as a dual entity, both medical and non-medical. While the EU has a strong legal basis for AI in healthcare, speakers emphasized the need to strengthen frameworks for integrating AI with procurement systems and real-world evidence platforms.
Breakout sessions engaged patients and clinical experts in discussions on how best to contribute to HTA processes, echoing themes from the previous day. The final panel underlined the critical role of collaboration among EU Member States in developing coherent and effective HTA systems.
Patient involvement also featured prominently, with associations showcasing tools like the EUPATI HTA training platform https://eupati.eu/hta4patients/, designed to empower patients to engage with HTA procedures meaningfully.
