The Stakeholder Network
| Site: | EUPATI Open Classroom |
| Course: | EU Health Technology Assessment Regulation (HTAR) |
| Book: | The Stakeholder Network |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Friday, 18 October 2024, 10:38 AM |
The Stakeholder Network
This group serves to facilitate a regular dialogue between European umbrella stakeholder organisations and the CG.
It is important to note that the role of the Stakeholder Network (SN) is distinct from the role of stakeholder organisations and patients, clinical experts, and other relevant experts who are selected and consulted on specific joint scientific consultations and / or joint clinical assessments
Why is a stakeholder network needed?
The HTAR mandates the establishment of a stakeholder network to ensure the inclusiveness and transparency of any joint HTA work taking place at the European level. The Stakeholder Network is a vital component of the regulation as it ensures that the perspectives and interests of various stakeholders are considered.
Who is included in the Stakeholder Network?
The Stakeholder Network includes various stakeholder organisations. According to Article 29(2) of the HTAR, eligible stakeholder organisations include:
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Patient organisations
- Consumer organisations
- Non-governmental organisations in the field of health
- Health technology developer associations
- Health professionals organisations
The eligibility criteria for organisations to join the network include:
- Proof of current or planned engagement in HTA development
- Professional expertise relevant to the stakeholder network
- Geographical coverage of several Member States
- Communication and dissemination capabilities
The following graph shows the distribution of different organisation types at present (March 2024) in the Stakeholder Network.
Type of organisations in the HTA Stakeholder Network
Figure 2: Adapted from Types and numbers of organisations in the HTAR Stakeholder Network (as of September 2023). Source: European Commission. Available at: hta_20230918_co01_en.pdf (europa.eu)
What is the role of the Stakeholder Network?
The primary role of the Stakeholder Network is to support the work of the Coordination Group and its subgroups upon request (Article 29(1)). This may involve providing information to the subgroup in charge of identifying and reporting on emerging health technologies (Article 22(1-2)) and providing feedback on the Coordination Group’s annual work programme and annual reports (Article 6(3)). The Commission, relevant subgroups, and the SN will also exchange information on other areas of joint work, including the development of methodological and procedural guidance, and the conduct of Joint Scientific Consultations and Joint Clinical Assessments.
How Does the Stakeholder Network Interact with Coordination Group’s Work?
The Stakeholder Network and the Coordination Group are required to meet at least once a year (Article 29(5)). During these meetings, the SN will be updated on the joint work conducted by the Coordination Group; including its main output and provide for an exchange of information.
The SN can be invited, on an ad hoc basis, to the meetings of the Coordination Group as observers (Article 29 (6)).
The annual meeting of the HTA Stakeholder Network takes place in Brussels, Belgium. Between meetings, members of the stakeholder network may securely exchange information with one another via the IT platform (Article 30(1)). Outputs from annual meetings will be available to the public via the same IT platform.