Developing and piloting a context-specified ethics framework for health technology assessment: the South African Values and Ethics for Universal Health Coverage approach.
Int J Technol Assess Health Care
; 38(1): e26, 2022 Mar 08.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35256036
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
While ethics has been identified as a core component of health technology assessment (HTA), there are few examples of practical, systematic inclusion of ethics analysis in HTA. Some attribute the scarcity of ethics analysis in HTA to debates about appropriate methodology and the need for ethics frameworks that are relevant to local social values. The "South African Values and Ethics for Universal Health Coverage" (SAVE-UHC) project models an approach that countries can use to develop HTA ethics frameworks that are specific to their national contexts.METHODS:
The SAVE-UHC approach consisted of two phases. In Phase I, the research team convened and facilitated a national multistakeholder working group to develop a provisional ethics framework through a collaborative, engagement-driven process. In Phase II, the research team refined the model framework by piloting it through three simulated HTA appraisal committee meetings. Each simulated committee reviewed two case studies of sample healthinterventions:
opioid substitution therapy and either a novel contraceptive implant or seasonal influenza immunization for children under five.RESULTS:
The methodology was fit-for-purpose, resulting in a context-specified ethics framework and producing relevant findings to inform application of the framework for the given HTA context.CONCLUSIONS:
The SAVE-UHC approach provides a model for developing, piloting, and refining an ethics framework for health priority-setting that is responsive to national social values. This approach also helps identify key facilitators and challenges for integrating ethics analysis into HTA processes.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Technology Assessment, Biomedical
/
Universal Health Insurance
Type of study:
Health_technology_assessment
/
Prognostic_studies
Aspects:
Ethics
/
Patient_preference
Limits:
Child
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Africa
Language:
En
Journal:
Int J Technol Assess Health Care
Journal subject:
PESQUISA EM SERVICOS DE SAUDE
Year:
2022
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United States