• Last updated：2024-08-13
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HTAsiaLink is a regional cooperative network composed of health technology assessment (HTA) agencies across Asia. Its primary objective is to strengthen the capacity for HTA research through collaboration and exchange among member organizations and affiliates. HTAsiaLink also aims to encourage the integration of HTA research findings into decision-making processes and to increase awareness of the benefits of HTA. Since its establishment in 2010, HTAsiaLink has grown to include 24 member organizations from 15 countries. In addition to Asian members, the international division of the UK's NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) is an important affiliated member.

2023

The 11th annual meeting was held in Putrajaya, Malaysia, from September 4th to September 7th, 2023, with representation from the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) by Researchers Ying-Li Chen and Wei-Chih Liu. The theme of the conference was "Reshaping and Reshifting Health Technology Assessment in Navigating the Future Landscape," aiming to enhance academic and policy exchanges among HTA organizations in Asia. The event also featured presentations by global experts on the latest developments in HTA.

At the conference, Researcher Ying-Li Chen presented on "The role of HTA for public health policy research in Taiwan," sharing experiences from the Center's implementation of policy research projects under the Ministry of Health and Welfare since 2015. This involved evaluating public health policies using HTA frameworks, covering topic selection mechanisms, research execution processes, outcome assessments, as well as addressing challenges encountered during implementation and mitigation strategies.

Researcher Wei-Chih Liu delivered an oral presentation titled "Exploratory Managed Entry Agreements (MEA) and Patient Registries in Taiwan," discussing MEAs developed in response to the escalating costs of innovative technologies and balancing patient needs. These agreements are complemented by real-world data from registration systems, gradually accumulating more empirical evidence for validation or confirmation purposes.

2022

The 10th annual meeting took place in Pattaya, Thailand, from November 29th to December 3rd, 2022, with representation from the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) by Researchers Ying-Li Chen and Mei-Chi Lai. Researcher Ying-Li Chen also served as the Taiwanese representative and was re-elected as a board member, enhancing Taiwan's opportunities for deeper exchanges and collaboration with HTA organizations in Asia. 

The conference theme was "The Role of HTA in the New Normal:
Driving the post-COVID health systems through
evidence-informed decisions." Given the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on global healthcare systems, both treatment and epidemiological paradigms face challenges and changes. Therefore, the annual meeting included keynote speeches and discussions focusing on how countries have adapted and innovated their approaches through HTA organizations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the conference, Researcher Ying-Li Chen shared Taiwan's experiences with changes in patient involvement in HTA processes during the pandemic and the decision-making processes of HTA in Taiwan. He also served as a session chair for an oral presentation and as a reviewer for poster presentations. Researcher Mei-Chi Lai presented a poster on HTA issues related to Taiwan's policies. 

Through these discussions, insights were gained into innovative HTA practices in response to the pandemic across different countries. Despite differences in healthcare systems and national contexts, it was evident how countries responded to policy needs with rapid HTA reports during a major infectious disease outbreak.

2021

The 9th annual meeting was held online from October 11th to 13th, 2021. Representatives from the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) included Director Li-Ying Huang, Section Chief Szu-Ting Hsieh, Researchers Ying-Li Chen, Mei-Chi Lai, Jing-Hua Ke, Denise Hung, and Wan-Ping Liu. Given the increasing interest in Real-World Evidence (RWE) among healthcare technology assessment organizations, clinical experts, and academia, alongside issues related to the collection, analysis, and utilization of Real-World Data (RWD), the conference focused on the theme "Global Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Bringing True Evidence to the UHC Benefit Adjustment" in the context of achieving comprehensive health coverage.

During the conference, Researcher Kuei-An Chen presented a poster titled "Patient Involvement in Health Technology Assessment: Experience of Taiwan," explaining the processes and methods of patient involvement in health technology assessment in Taiwan. Researcher Mei-Chi Lai delivered an oral presentation on "Performance Evaluation of Dental Services for Special Needs in Taiwan," detailing the analysis of dental services for individuals with special needs using Taiwan's National Health Insurance database and disability data files.