Publication:

Health technology assessment: a tool for evidence-based decisions for quality health care in India

Health technology assessment is widely used methodology internationally for optimization of healthcare resource allocation. It is a multidisciplinary process that gathers policy relevant evidence about the clinical effectiveness, cost effectiveness, ethical and social issues related to the use of a health intervention in a systematic, comprehensive, transparent and robust manner to help policy makers in decision making while formulating policies for incorporating or excluding health interventions from the health system. In order to achieve the ultimate goal of universal health coverage, Government of India has set up health technology assessment in India under the department of health research, ministry of health and family welfare. The health technology assessment framework in India must utilize its entire capacity to guide government and policy makers in explicit priority setting that ensures that available health budgets are spent after weighing all options, and coming to a fair and just conclusion.