CONTEMPORARY ASPECTS OF EVALUATION OF HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES IN MEDICAL DEVICES
CONTEMPORARY ASPECTS OF EVALUATION OF HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES IN MEDICAL DEVICES

Summary/Abstract: The striving for health promotion, protection and restoration has accompanied humanity from ancient times to the present day. This process is about creation of a wide range of remedies and devices designed to prevent, treat and relief a variety of diseases and conditions. This requires a close and lasting connection between health care and technical and scientific achievements through the long journey of human development. Increasing opportunities for diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation is a natural result of the use of new technologies in medical theory and practice, which improves the course and outcome of diseases, improving the quality and life expectancy of patients. On the other hand, these processes significantly affect the health care and social system of each country. In this way, the development of health technologies is connected to innovation and progress in the products of the medical and pharmaceutical industries, but financial constraints are often present which requires precise expert evaluation at all levels. The assessment of the therapeutic efficacy and safety of medicines and medical devices should also include their future socio-economic impacts. In this regard, there is a need of developing procedures for evaluation of health technologies within an integrated multidisciplinary approach to ensure objectivity and improve cost efficiency in the healthcare system. The introduction of new technologies is a slow and difficult process which requires an expenditure of additional material and non-material resources. This requires developing and introduction of the most effective technologies at the moment in economic, moral, legal and social aspects. Their assessment requires a strong scientific evidence base needed to form a health policy which takes into account the different spheres of public life as processes related to health care and assistance intertwine with certain policy decisions and becoming more regulated. Although the assessment of health technologies is mainly aimed at forming health policy, it must necessarily use the results of current research and evidences. Different factors affect the development of health policy, which suggests that it responds both of growing expectations of society and of possible hesitation and mistrust of different social layers.

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