Health technology assessment: experience in the Ministry of Health of Brazil

Abstract

This article aims to describe the main activities carried out by the Ministry of Health of Brazil (MHB) for the development of Health Technology Assessments (HTA). It is a description based on the MHB efforts and strategies to strengthen this area in the last years. Five are the lines of action put in place for that purpose: (i) adoption of a National Policy for the Management of Health Technology, (ii) supporting the decision making process in the Unified Health System, (iii ) promo - tion of the performance of studies on HTA, (iv) training of strategic human resources, and (v) institutional coordination at national and international levels. However, challenges remain to achieve a more effective structure for HTA in Brazil, like the creation of a government institution with greater administrative flexibility, among others.