KCE is involved in the European and global expert networks. With its reputation for scientific rigour, it receives numerous collaboration requests from international working groups.
KCE is an active member of several international networks:
- EUnetHTA
- INAHTA (International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessement)
- IHSI
- Beneluxa Initiative on Pharmaceutical Policy
- GIN (Guidelines International Network)
- HTAI
The KCE is also involved in several European projects, including:
- EUnetHTA 21
- IMI-PREFER
- EU-RESPONSE
- PERMIT (PERsonalised Medicine Trials)
- Observatoire Européen des Systèmes et Politiques de Santé (OMS)
- IHSI Medical Devices
International networks:
- EUnetHTA (European network for Health Technology Assessment) is the European network for Health Technology Assessment. It has more than 30 participating states. The overall objective of EUnetHTA is to create an effective and sustainable HTA network across Europe and to help develop reliable, timely, transparent and transferable information to support HTA in European countries. To do this, EUnetHTA produces a repository of methods and processes, and organises the collaborative production of Joint and Collaborative Assessments which can be used by member states. In September 2021, EUnetHTA launched the EUnetHTA 21 project in which KCE is involved. EUnetHTA 21 is developing the procedures for future work within the EU’s sustainable HTA network, as specified in the new European regulation on HTA, approved and published on 22 December 2021.
- INAHTA (International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment) is the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment. It offers its members a forum to identify common interests in the field of health technology assessment. INAHTA publishes the international HTA database of projects and reports and collaborates on the HTA Glossary project. In 2021, KCE was also involved in developing the INAHTA Patient Involvement Position Statement.
- IHSI (International Horizon Scanning Initiative) is an international organisation that gathers information on treatments which will reach the market in the next two years and could have a significant impact, both clinically and financially. This data allows political leaders to anticipate the arrival of these new products and prepare their policies accordingly. This information can also be useful during price negotiations with the pharmaceutical industry.
- Beneluxa Initiative on Pharmaceutical Policy is an association of HTA agencies in Benelux, Austria and Ireland. Its aim is to facilitate access to quality treatment at reasonable prices for patients in those countries. To that end, its members share Horizon Scanning exercises (anticipating health challenges by studying new pharmaceutical products entering the market), exchange information, expertise and best practices, and jointly negotiate the prices of new products entering their respective markets (resulting in greater price transparency).
- GIN (Guidelines International Network) is an international network of organisations and experts involved in the development of clinical practice guidelines. The aim of the GIN is to contribute to improving the quality of care by promoting the systematic development of guidelines and their implementation on an international scale.
- HTAI (Health Technology Assessment international) is the global scientific and professional organisation for health technology assessment. It is a neutral forum which brings together researchers, research agencies, policy makers, industry representatives, academics, healthcare providers, patient and consumer representatives and other stakeholders from 65 countries and 5 continents. HTAI organises an annual international scientific conference and collaborates on the HTA Glossary project. KCE staff members participate in working groups (e.g. the Patient and Citizen Involvement Group) and training courses.
European projects:
- EUnetHTA 21: the EUnetHTA 21 project was launched in September 2021. It follows on from the joint actions undertaken by EUnetHTA and will be based on the lessons learned from that initiative. Its work is intended to support the future European HTA system as part of the new European HTA regulation. The EUnetHTA 21 consortium is managed by ZIN (Netherlands) and includes the following HTA agencies: AEMPS (Spain), AIFA (Italy), AIHTA (Austria), GBA (Germany), HAS (France), INFARMED (Portugal), IQWIG (Germany), KCE (Belgium), NCPE (Ireland), NIPN (Hungary), NOMA (Norway) and TLV (Sweden).
- IMI-PREFER is an initiative of IMI (Innovative Medicines Initiative). It is a project that brings together academia and the biopharmaceutical industry, as well as patient organisations, HTA agencies (including KCE), regulators, payers, and small and medium-sized enterprises to collaborate on topics that affect all healthcare actors. The PREFER project examines where and when, during the development of medical products, it is possible to include patient preferences in the decision-making processes of the various stakeholders, from the industry to the regulatory bodies, HTA agencies and healthcare payers. A methodological framework for patient preference studies is being developed. It covers all aspects, from identifying preference-sensitive decisions to using evidence-based information on these preferences in a variety of decision-making processes. KCE chairs the HTA & Payers Advisory Group and manages communication with the HTA agencies. It also participates in all working groups and co-chairs the working group on recommendations.
- EU-RESPONSE is a research and preparedness network for pandemics and emerging infectious diseases. It is a 5-year multinational project, coordinated by INSERM (France) and funded by the European Research and Innovation Programme H2020, to design an adaptive European platform for clinical trials on COVID-19 and other emerging infectious diseases (SolidAct Trial). As a result, hospitals from all over Europe may be involved. A KCE researcher is a member of the independent scientific and ethical advisory board set up to advise on the structure of the “EU-SolidAct” platform and which treatments should be studied first.
- PERMIT (PERsonalised MedicIne Trials) is a project that aims to establish methodological standards for clinical trials in personalised medicine. It was launched in January 2020 under the European research and innovation programme H2020. The consortium includes pan-European research structures (ECRIN, EATRIS, ELIXIR-LU/UNILU), research funders (DLR), HTA agencies (KCE, ISCIII), patient representatives (ETH), competent authorities (ISS), and data protection researchers (TMF).
- The KCE is the Belgian representative for the WHO’s European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. This body supports evidence-based health policies by producing extensive and rigorous analyses of the dynamics of healthcare systems in Europe, such as the HiT (Health systems in Transition) country reports which are detailed descriptions of each health system. KCE has been responsible for updating, since 2010, the report on the health system in Belgium via The health systems and policy monitor: Belgium, and, since 2020, the platform summarising the measures taken by Belgium to deal with the COVID-19 crisis via the COVID-19 Health System Response Monitor: Belgium.
- IHSI-Medical Devices is a project which began within the international IHSI Horizon scanning network for pharmaceutical products. This initiative aims to develop a similar system for medical devices. KCE is a member of the working group and was specifically invited to share its expertise in prospective analysis (cf. Report 283 from KCE) with the working group.
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