HTA Adaptation Toolkit
The HTA Adaptation Toolkit helps health technology assessment agencies adapt existing HTA reports for use in different countries or healthcare settings. It includes checklists and resources to assess whether findings from one context can be reliably applied elsewhere, especially focusing on evidence from published reports rather than new studies.
At a glance
Use when
Adapting HTA reports from one country or setting to another, especially when conducting rapid or efficient assessments without duplicating work
Avoid when
Conducting primary research or when no existing HTA reports are available for the technology in question
Inputs
Existing HTA reports, local context information (e.g., healthcare system, population, costs)
Outputs
Assessment of the adaptability of HTA findings, guidance on necessary modifications, standardized terminology for adaptation
How it works
Developed by EUnetHTA Work Package 5 (28 HTA agencies across Europe) and led by the UK NCCHTA, the toolkit supports the adaptation of HTA reports through structured checklists evaluating relevance, reliability, and transferability of data. It is designed for adaptation of evidence syntheses, not primary research. The toolkit is accompanied by a glossary standardizing key adaptation terminology across European HTA agencies. Development methods included literature review, surveys, Delphi rounds, expert consultation, and quality assurance testing. Available via www.eunethta.net, it aims to improve efficiency in HTA production by reducing duplication.
- HTA domains
- Clinical Effectiveness, Costs & Economic Evaluation, Organisational aspects
- Assumptions
- Existing HTA reports are of sufficient quality and transparency to allow evaluation for transferability; local decision-makers have access to external HTA reports; contextual differences can be systematically assessed.
- Strengths
- Developed collaboratively by 28 European HTA agencies ensuring broad relevance,Includes both practical tools and a standardized glossary to improve communication,Focuses on efficient reuse of evidence, saving time and resources,Underpinned by systematic methods including Delphi surveys and quality assurance
- Limitations
- Designed for adaptation of evidence syntheses, not primary research,May require customization for specific national contexts,Original version is not interactive (static checklists),Limited focus on diagnostic and screening technologies in initial version
- Also known as
- EUnetHTA Adaptation Toolkit, HTA Report Adaptation Toolkit
Questions this answers
- › Is the clinical evidence from an HTA report applicable to my country's healthcare setting?
- › Can economic findings from another HTA be transferred to my context?
- › How reliable is the original HTA report for adaptation purposes?
- › What aspects of an HTA report may not be transferable across settings?
- › What terminology is used across Europe for HTA adaptation?
- › How can my agency efficiently reuse existing HTA reports?
References & sources
Similar by meaning
- Toolkit for assessing the transferability of evidence across contexts
- INAHTA Checklist for HTA Reports
- A Handbook and a Toolkit for Hospital-Based Health Technology Assessment
- Analytical framework for determinants of HTA recommendations
- Key Principles for the Improved Conduct of Health Technology Assessments for Resource Allocation Decisions
Beta record. Generated from the primary source via AI extraction and independent audit, pending final human review.