Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36388387›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in public health2022

Assessing the potential of HTA to inform resource allocation decisions in low-income settings: The case of Malawi.

Francesco Ramponi, Pakwanja Twea, Benson Chilima, Dominic Nkhoma, Isabel Kazanga Chiumia, Gerald Manthalu, Joseph Mfutso-Bengo, Paul Revill, Michael Drummond, Mark Sculpher

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in public health, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
2.2field-weighted citation impact, top 9% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Francesco RamponiCentre for Health Economics, University of York, Heslington, United Kingdom.
Pakwanja TweaDepartment of Planning and Policy Development, Ministry of Health Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi.
Benson ChilimaPublic Health Institute, Ministry of Health Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi.
Dominic NkhomaHealth Economics and Policy Unit (HEPU), College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Zomba, Malawi.
Isabel Kazanga ChiumiaHealth Economics and Policy Unit (HEPU), College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Zomba, Malawi.
Gerald ManthaluDepartment of Planning and Policy Development, Ministry of Health Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi.
Joseph Mfutso-BengoHealth Economics and Policy Unit (HEPU), College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Zomba, Malawi.
Paul RevillCentre for Health Economics, University of York, Heslington, United Kingdom.
Michael DrummondCentre for Health Economics, University of York, Heslington, United Kingdom.
Mark SculpherCentre for Health Economics, University of York, Heslington, United Kingdom.
University of York · GBMinistry of Health · MWUniversity of Malawi · MW

Funding

Medical Research Council MR/P028004/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Health technology assessment (HTA) offers a set of analytical tools to support health systems' decisions about resource allocation. Although there is increasing interest in these tools across the world, including in some middle-income countries, they remain rarely used in low-income countries (LICs). In general, the focus of HTA is narrow, mostly limited to assessments of efficacy and cost-effectiveness. However, the principles of HTA can be used to support a broader series of decisions regarding new health technologies. We examine the potential for this broad use of HTA in LICs, with a focus on Malawi. We develop a framework to classify the main decisions on health technologies within health systems. The framework covers decisions on identifying and prioritizing technologies for detailed assessment, deciding whether to adopt an intervention, assessing alternative investments for implementation and scale-up, and undertaking further research activities. We consider the relevance of the framework to policymakers in Malawi and we use two health technologies as examples to investigate the main barriers and enablers to the use of HTA methods. Although the scarcity of local data, expertise, and other resources could risk limiting the operationalisation of HTA in LICs, we argue that even in highly resource constrained health systems, such as in Malawi, the use of HTA to support a broad range of decisions is feasible and desirable.

Indexed as

Resource AllocationTechnology Assessment, BiomedicalCost-Benefit AnalysisMalawiPovertyhealthcare decision makinghealth technology assessment (HTA)low- and middle-income countriesMalawiresource allocation in health care

Identifiers

PMID36388387
PMCPMC9650047
OpenAlexW4307452197

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.