AETS – Agencia de Evaluación de Tecnologias Sanitarias

  Madrid, Spain

"The future of health-care systems lies in rationalization, not in rationing."
 – Antonio Sarria-Santamera, Director, AETS

History and Structure

AETS was founded in 1994 as one of the centers of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, the Spanish National Public Health Research Institute, which provides with scientific and technical support to the Ministry of Health and to the National Health System (NHS).

The activities of AETS embrace three areas:

• Health technology assessment reports (elaborating reports assessing the impact of health technologies)
• Research projects (elaborating health services research projects)
• Coordination of evaluation services (participating in activities related with HTA advising NHS authorities)

Mission

Main objectives of AETS are:

• To assess the different health technologies as a basis for formulating policies on technology selection and implementation in the NHS
• To promote the appropriate use of existing technologies

AETS also participates in teaching and training programs. National and international cooperation is also a major mandate of AETS

How AETS Works

Most AETS reports are initiated by a request usually from a government or government- related office. These reports are reviewed by an independent panel of experts who endorse the conclusions. Whenever feasible, formal data is synthesized, including meta-analyses of empirical evidence. Social, economic, and ethical dimensions are often included in the AETS reports. Further expertise is obtained by collaboration with external health professionals.

Identification of specific issues to assess on a national scale was initiated in 1997 by Spain's main health policy coordinating body: The NHS Interritorial Council (NHSIC). Its decisions strongly influence the AETS work program.

AETS is working in coordination with the Spanish regional HTA agencies and units in the Plan for HTA lead by Spanish National Health Department. A web based platform has been developed to improve this coordination (http://aunets.isciii.es).

Dissemination Activities

Diffusion and dissemination vary depending on the nature of the request that originated the report. For example, when an issue is raised by a certain institution, and deals with a very specific aspect, an internal report is produced for limited dissemination. The public reports by AETS are disseminated through selective mailing. The distribution list varies according to the topic addressed.

Active participation in meetings of scientific and professional societies, short-term training courses for healthcare managers and clinicians with managerial responsibilities are means of disseminating AETS results.

Current Projects (a selection):

• Review of interventions in Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome
• Radiotherapy for lung cancer: a systematic review.
• Economic evaluation of pharmacological treatment for prevention of fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.
• Effectiveness and safety of electrochemotherapy as a new technology for the treatment of tumors.
• Monitoring use of surgical approaches for facial lipoatrophy in HIV-AIDS patients in the Spanish National Health Service.
• Review of treatments for endometriosis
• Severe sepsis in Spain: poblational study of incidence, risk factors, clinical outcomes and hospital resource consumption. 
• Study of antivenin solutions.
• Economic evaluation of rotavirus vaccination in Spain

Future Plans

• To contribute to national and international cooperation in HTA
• To improve dissemination of assessment findings
• To identify new and emerging technologies as a tool to promote early assessments
• To foster commissioned research on HTA on a national scale
• To advise the NHSIC on the identification and approval of new technologies.

Agency Information:

Country: Spain
Description of population served: National
Population served (mil): 40.000
Current HTA budget (mil USD): 0.8
Permanent staff: 15
Consultants: 80
Ongoing TA projects: 7

Contact Information:

Director: Antonio Sarria-Santamera
Contact person: Iñaki Imaz

Agencia de Evaluación de Tecnologias Sanitarias
Instituto de Salud "Carlos III"
Calle Sinesio Delgado 6, Pab. 4
ES-28029 Madrid Spain

Tel: +34 91 8222005
Fax: +34 91 3877841
Internet: http://www.eng.isciii.es/ISCIII/es/contenidos/fd-el-instituto/fd-organizacion/fd-estructura-directiva/fd-subdireccion-general-investigacion-terapia-celular-medicina-regenerativa/fd-centros-unidades/agencia-evaluacion-tecnologias-sanitarias.shtml
Email: imaz@isciii.es