Health technologies assessment: regulatory support and development prospects in the Republic of Belarus

Abstract

Health technology assessment (HTA) is a relevant scientific and practical area for formalizing and substantiating the selection of optimal approaches to disease management in the healthcare environment of a particular country.

Objectives: to analyze the structure and formulate prospects for the HTA development in the Republic of Belarus. Methods. The search and analysis of regulatory legal acts in the Republic of Belarus regulating the study, examination and selection of HTA for budget financing was performed. Formal-logical; comparative-legal; historical; formal-legal, systemic research methods were used. Results. There is no single regulatory legal act integrating all aspects of HTA in the Republic of Belarus. The Law “On Healthcare” in Article 37³ “Clinical and Economic (Pharmacoeconomic) Expertise” defines the legislative basis for the implementation of expert work in the HTA field. Conducting clinical and economic studies is determined by separate regulatory documents devoted to the implementation of specific methods. The key structure of the HTA system is the Republican Formulary Commission. The objects of HTA may be not only medicines, but also medical devices, vaccines, cellular technologies, various medical interventions (surgical, rehabilitation, preventive), systems used to protect and maintain human health, information and organizational technologies, government programs. Conclusion. HTA is a tool for supporting informed management decisions aimed at increasing the efficiency of using healthcare resources, improving medical care planning, providing medicines, medical devices, equipment and an element of the health care quality management system.