australia_flag  Adelaide, Australia

 

“Critical thinking for critical decisions in health.”

Professor Tracy Merlin
Director, Adelaide Health Technology Assessment (HTA)
Head, School of Public Health, University of Adelaide

 

History and Structure

Adelaide Health Technology Assessment (AHTA) is located within the School of Public Health at The University of Adelaide in Australia.

Established in 2001, and led by Professor Tracy Merlin, AHTA is made up of a multidisciplinary team with staff expertise in public health, medicine and pharmacy, health economics, ethics, and research information technology management.

AHTA conducts a wide range of health technology assessment (HTA) activities, including: clinical evaluation/clinical epidemiology, health economics and modelling, ethics analysis, budget impact assessment, patient and public engagement, clinical practice guideline development, evidence synthesis and methodological research.

Through long-standing collaboration with the Australian Federal Government, AHTA’s HTA activities have had direct impact on health policy, market access and funding decisions, and how HTA is undertaken in Australia.

Mission

AHTA:

  • evaluate the safety, effectiveness and value for money of health interventions
  • inform evidence-based policy and practice in health using proven methods
  • innovate, research and develop HTA and HTA method

We:

  • quantify the impact of health interventions for (regional, national, international)
    • populations
    • governments
    • healthcare systems
  • guide best practice locally, nationally and internationally
  • lead, educate and build capacity in evidence evaluation to guide health policy and practice
  • innovate, develop and adapt to keep at the forefront of HTA methodology
  • design, analyse and interpret health research, supported by systems that enable high quality data collection and management

How AHTA Works

AHTA has specific teams that address specific types of technologies such as medicines, tests and medical services. Our work covers the full spectrum of HTA, including horizon scanning, regulation, reimbursement, clinical practice guidelines and disinvestment.

Highly detailed and evidence-based, AHTA’s assessments consider the core HTA domains, with a focus on comparative safety, effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, ethics and organisational considerations.

AHTA collaborate with various branches of the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, such as the Office of Health Technology Assessment, along with the regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). AHTA have also worked with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Agency for Care Effectiveness (ACE), Singapore Ministry of Health, amongst others.

Dissemination Activities

The public has free access to information on AHTA activities and reports via the following websites:

Other reports are commercial-in-confidence but often public summary documents are available on the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) www.msac.gov.au and Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) https://www.pbs.gov.au/info/industry/listing/elements/pbac-meetings/psd websites.

AHTA’s peer-reviewed publications have been published in journals, e.g., International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care, Journal of Medical Decision Making, British Journal of Surgery, BMC Medical Research Methodology, Value in Health, Applied Health Economics and Policy and Medical Journal of Australia.

Other methods for disseminating information on AHTA’s activities include participation in national and international conferences and delivery of workshops.

AHTA staff teach into The University of Adelaide postgraduate course in Health Technology Assessment, as part of the Master of Public Health. Details are available at www.adelaide.edu.au/ahta

Current Projects (A Selection)

Current projects are not listed as they date too quickly. For information on current projects that can be publicly known, please contact the Director of AHTA.

Future Plans

  • Maintain conduct of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) activities on behalf of governmental and non-governmental organisations
  • Develop collaborative research activities with international HTA agencies on methodological topics
  • Build capacity in HTA through teaching and mentoring
  • Develop new methods and standards for HTA

Agency Information

AHTA

Country: Australia
Description of population served: National
Population served (mil): 27
Current HTA budget (mil USD): 2.2
Permanent staff: 26+
Consultants: 7
Ongoing TA projects: 15

Contact Information

Director: Professor Tracy Merlin
Contact person: Professor Tracy Merlin

Adelaide Health Technology Assessment
School of Population Health, The University of Adelaide,
Level 4, 50 Rundle Mall
Adelaide, South Australia 5005

Tel: +61 8 8313 3575
Internet: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/ahta
Email: tracy.merlin@adelaide.edu.au