Incorporation of technologies by the Canadian and Brazilian health systems: prospects for progress in assessment processes

One of the main challenges for modern health systems is to guarantee equitable access to technologies with proven quality, safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness, as well as to ensure that their use is based on high-quality scientific evidence. Health technology assessment (HTA) is one of the most widely used strategies in the world to support decisions on health technologies. The article analyzes how HTA systems are organized in Brazil and Canada and discusses the implications for planning the incorporation of technologies in Brazil, considering the challenges posed by the regionalization process and the establishment of healthcare networks. This is an exploratory comparative study based on secondary data. The results show that both countries have fragmented HTA systems with different levels of maturity. The systems are characterized by multiple organizations working in the field of HTA, the scope of activities, and the concentration of activities in national agencies/bodies. Both systems have weaknesses, but the Brazilian case presents a series of factors (insufficient resources, impact of court rulings, heavy dependence on foreign technologies, and incipient regional HTA processes and planning) that make the scenario more complex. The article argues that the regionalized structure for planning the incorporation of technologies in Canada can serve as an interesting experience for the Brazilian system, despite the different contexts in the two countries.

Keywords:
Biomedical Technology Assessment; Regional Haelth Planning; Health Systems