Uruguay
– Dr. Ana Pérez, Director, AETSU, Uruguay
History and Structure
AETSU was created by law on July 9, 2020. The agency was regulated in July 2021 and began operating in May 2022. It was created as a technically independent institution, qualified to provide health technology assessments.
Structure:
- Head: General Manager (supporting areas: Accounting, Legal and Communication).
- Technical Departments: Units of Economic Evaluation, Capacity Building and Literature Research.
- Resource Management Division.
Mission
To provide independent, rigorous, and reliable evidence to support informed decision-making at all levels of the Uruguayan health system:
- Macro level – national health policy, planning, and resource allocation,
- Meso level – health service organization and management, and
- Micro level – clinical practice and patient care.
To promote and consolidate a culture of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) by systematically evaluating dimensions such as clinical effectiveness, safety, economic impact, accessibility, and organizational and social implications.
To foster critical and informed engagement within society on the appropriate use of health technologies, their indications, outcomes, and post-implementation monitoring, thereby contributing to more transparent and equitable decision-making processes.
Vision
To be recognized as a national reference institution in HTA, strengthening national capacities and capabilities through strategic coordination and active participation in national, regional, and international HTA networks.
To contribute to evidence-informed policy and decision-making for the continuous improvement of the National Health System, through HTA reports that support both the adoption and disinvestment of health technologies.
To advance in efficiency, equity, and cohesion within the health system by progressively integrating the perspectives of all relevant stakeholders, thereby strengthening the legitimacy and impact of health technology decisions.
How the Agency Works
The Agency seeks to support health decision-making by providing up-to-date, rigorously analysed, and independent technical information, aiming to reduce the gap between available evidence and policy or clinical decisions.
AETSU reports are designed to include all relevant information, systematically classified according to the level of evidence regarding efficacy, effectiveness, safety, and efficiency.
The types of reports produced are tailored to the specific needs of the solicitor of the evaluation.
The Agency has a Publication Policy which defines the procedure of dissemination of the work done.
AETSU is a member of the following networks: RedETSA (PAHO/WHO) and the HTAi Latam Policy Forum.
Dissemination Activities
We disseminate our products in our website www.aetsu.org.uy, and in the Regional Database of Health Technology Assessment Reports of the Americas (BRISA) of RedETSA (PAHO/WHO).
A List of Recently Completed or Milestone HTA Reports
- Use of tenecteplase in stroke ischemic treatment
- Use of teriflunomide in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
- Use of arsenic trioxide in acute promyelocytic leukemia
- iSGLT2 in the treatment of heart failure
- iSGLT2 in the treatment of chronic kidney disease
A List of (Selected) Current Projects
- Development of a technical document analyzing the applications, opportunities, and challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in HTA, with a focus on its potential impact on evidence generation, decision-making processes, and health system performance.
- Development of new types of HTA reports, including prioritization reports, emerging technology reports, and screening reports, to provide timely and tailored responses that meet the specific needs of requesters and decision-makers.
- Strengthening Technical Capacities: continuous staff development is a strategic priority for AETSU, consistent with its continuous capacity building.
Future Plans
Equity: Integrate the equity perspective throughout different stages of HTA to identify differential impacts, to reduce unjust gaps, and promote fair access to health innovations.
Stakeholder Involvement: Establish a framework for patient and public involvement through structured consultations with stakeholders to enhance the transparency and legitimacy of HTA processes.
Judicialization of Health: Provide evidence to inform judicial and policy decisions related to access to medicines and health services, contributing to fair and sustainable outcomes.
Prioritization Criteria: Develop explicit and transparent criteria for selecting technologies to be assessed, based on dimensions such as disease burden, equity, economic impact, and alignment with national priorities.
Agency Information
Country: Uruguay
Description of population served: National
Population served (mil): 3.4 million
Current HTA budget (mil USD): 0.650
Permanent staff: 15 full time
Consultants: Variable
Ongoing TA projects: 6
Contact information
Director: Dr. Ana Pérez Galán
Contact person: Inés Besada
Agency of Health Technology Assessment of Uruguay (AETSU)
José Enrique Rodó 1840
Montevideo, Uruguay
Tel: (+598) 24015641
Fax:
Internet: http://www.aetsu.org.uy
Email: info@aetsu.org.uy