HTA in Central and Eastern Europe: current status, challenges and opportunities

Significant changes and advancements in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, including increases in life expectancy, changes in chronic disease prevalence, and healthcare spending, call for an approach focused on obtaining value for money. Notable strides have been made in the CEE countries to meet this need through the introduction and support of health technology assessment (HTA). Some countries, such as Hungary and Poland, have more formal HTA systems in place, while others (e.g. Romania and Slovenia) are still in the early stages of implementing a national body(s). Given experiences to date, this article identifies several challenges and opportunities to the continued development and success of HTA in the region.