Health technology development (medicine/treatment/device/vaccine) relies heavily on research – the gathering of information or data to produce new knowledge. This is driven by the need to provide evidence for: 

  • Regulators about the safety and potential benefit (efficacy) of a new therapy. 
  • Decision makers in a health system about the effectiveness of a new therapy in a real world setting along with information about the costs and expected use of the therapy. 

Research used in medicines development—or in any field such as anthropology, sociology, chemistry, or astronomy—can generally be categorised into two broad approaches, which this lesson introduces with specific attention to their use and interpretation in the context of Health Technology Assessment (HTA).

This means that research can be: 

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Quantitative

Focused on numerical data and statistical analysis

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Qualitative

Focused on exploring perspectives, experiences, and meanings