Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi), in conjunction with the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR), initiated a joint Task Force and published guideline and a checklist for deliberative processes for health technology assessment (HTA). Currently, there is a lack of guidance for designing and implementing deliberative processes of HTA in China, so this paper performs a detailed interpretation of the guideline and checklist, with a view to providing a reference for China's HTA and deliberative process, in order to promote the dissemination and application of the HTA methodology, and advance the construction of domestic HTA deliberative processes capacity and institutional mechanism.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the efficacy and safety of dienogest in the treatment of endometriosis. MethodsThe PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CBM, WanFang Data and CNKI databases were electronically searched to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of dienogest for the treatment of endometriosis from inception to February 2024. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies. Meta-analysis was then performed by using RevMan 5.4 software. ResultsA total of 20 RCTs, involving 2 826 patients were included. Meta-analysis showed that compared with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a), dienogest had similar efficacy. Compared with placebo, dienogest was more effective in reducing endometriosis-related pelvic pain. Compared with oral contraceptives, dienogest performed better in relieving endometriosis-related pelvic pain and improving recurrence and pregnancy rates. Compared with other drugs (such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, dydrogesterone, etc.), dienogest could gradually reduce the pain. In terms of safety, dienogest could reduce bone density damage and hot flashes in patients with endometriosis compared with the control group. ConclusionCurrent evidence shows that dienogest is effective and safely tolerated in the treatment of endometriosis. Due to the limitations of the quantity and quality of included studies, the above conclusion needs to be verified by more high-quality studies.
The discrete choice experiment (DCE) is a stated preference analysis method to evaluate the impact of multiple factors on individual choice, which has been explored by scholars around the world for health utility measurement. This method is considered to reduce the cognitive burden of traditional utility measurement methods and has high development potential. Through examining empirical studies conducted domestically and internationally that employ DCE for measuring health utility, and drawing on methodological guidelines for constructing DCE models, this article provides an overview of the methodological background of DCE, the practical process used for measuring health utility, and discusses relevant challenges in its application.
The application of economic tools to evaluate the cost and health benefits and screen out more cost-effective drugs and technologies is an important measure to improve efficiency of medical resource allocation in China. Given the inherent differences between strict clinical trials and clinical routine practice, using trial-based economic evaluations to guide relevant medical decisions may lead to a certain risk of value deviation. Recent development of real-world data provides opportunities to assess the cost-effectiveness of drugs under the practical utilization, and has gradually become a new research hotspot. However, the complexity of the actual clinical environment also puts higher demands on researchers and decision makers to construct, understand and apply real-world evidence. In order to further prompt the normalization of economic evaluation based on real-world data and promote the scientific application of real-world evidence in medical and health decision-making, this project aims at the crucial issues including scope, research design and quality evaluation, to clarify the key considerations on the using of real-world evidence in medical decision-making. Combined with the international guidelines, the latest advancement of relevant research areas and the advice and opinions from multidisciplinary experts, we aim to provide technical references and guidance for researchers and decision makers, and to strengthen the evidence base of management policies.