Empowering Patients in HTA: Joint Initiative by OPEN Health, EPF, and EAMDA to Optimise PICO Scoping

From 12 January 2025, the new EU regulation on Health Technology Assessment (HTAR) will significantly shift how health technologies are evaluated across Europe. This regulation introduces a more structured and standardised approach to HTA, intending to enhance the consistency and reliability of these evaluations.

In response to this important change, the joint Delphi consensus panel project - led by the European Patients’ Forum, OPEN Health, and European Alliance of Neuromuscular Disorders Associations (EAMDA) - will focus on refining the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome) framework. This project is dedicated to improving PICO scoping to ensure it encompasses the diverse perspectives and needs of patients, with particular attention to those with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), who often face unique and complex healthcare challenges. 

This initiative represents a crucial step towards advancing the quality of HTA and ensuring that health technologies are assessed in a manner that genuinely benefits patients across Europe.

Read our press release here.