Public health and epidemiology
Public health interventions have the potential to bring about change in a population’s health in various ways, such as preventing diseases, promoting earlier diagnosis, and facilitating subsequent treatment. Our researchers engage in the cost-effectiveness and budget impact analysis of such measures. We can help in the monitoring and evaluation of results after implementation of such interventions.
As a basis to the evaluation of public health intervention, our research topics also include epidemiological and burden of disease studies, as well as the biostatistical analysis of data collected from observational studies. As with our other areas of research, our work entails desk research as well in the form of systematic literature reviews and meta-analyses.
Health policy research
Our research centre has outstanding research experience in the collection, analysis and synthesis of targeted domestic and international health policy information.
In addition to health economic analyses to support health policy decision making at national public funding or hospital investment levels, our centre’s activities also include methodological development and policy research.
During the health technology assessment, we help to prepare dossiers for the reimbursement of a new technology, by understanding and following the country’s guidelines.
We develop policy recommendations considering the economic situation, the needs of patients and other criteria for decision-making of the country.
Evidence synthesis
Data collection from multiple sources and synthesis of scientific evidence from the biomedical literature is essential for further analyses and decision-making. Early phase research into pathways of care, epidemiology, and burden of a disease grounds the value proposition of a new product and provides input for economic evaluations and value dossiers. By synthesizing independent scientific data sets regarding the same relation, systematic literature reviews and meta-analyses are regarded as the highest level of evidence (if done correctly). Indirect comparisons and network meta-analyses generate comparative evidence without conducting expensive and time-consuming clinical trials. Our research team at the Center for Health Technology Assessment has extensive knowledge and experience in evidence synthesis, from simple targeted literature reviews to cutting-edge network meta-analyses. We publish our studies regularly at international conferences and in major scientific journals..
Health outcomes research
Our research center can help identify the health impacts of various health care interventions including pharmaceuticals, medical devices or public health programs. We can evaluate whether a health technology provides value for the money through quantifying the outcomes of interest and valuing the measured changes. We have experience in the identification, measurement and valuation of various types of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and can conduct not only various studies including patient reported outcome research, utility measurement or medication adherence studies, but also desk research (ie. literature review) and training activities.
One of our current research projects is to estimate the quality of life of long/post COVID patients treated at Semmelweis University compared with the quality of life of the general population.
Real-world data analysis
Health economic modeling
Our research centre is engaged in the development of health economic models combining both costs and health effects of several treatment options. Clinical evidence is rarely adaptable directly to an economic decision problem, such as reimbursement of a new healthcare intervention. In these cases, models are used to extrapolate data beyond observed periods, adapt clinical evidence to diverse settings, and quantify uncertainty.
Our researchers have vast experience in developing, validating, and reporting on cost-effectiveness and budget impact models in various disease areas, using different types of modelling frameworks (e.g., Markov models, individual-level simulation, etc.). Our activities also entail desk research and literature reviews to populate our models with data. We conduct research on methodological issues as well to develop modelling guidelines and best practices.
Pricing & Market Access
Shorter product development cycles and intense competition are constant threats to new pharmaceutical products or medical devices. Understanding of market and patient needs, pricing options and therapeutic benefits, and in particular approval and payment options are critical to overcome these barriers. With extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry, our research center work to ensure that health technologies are optimally priced for rapid market uptake and are tightly aligned with patient, provider and payer needs. We have experience on the field of strategic consultancy, development of value frameworks, and conducting pricing and market access related training activities.
Scientific Audit
The Center for Health Technology Assessment contributes to the value generation of other departments of the university, national and international research-oriented organizations and, individual professionals by providing independent scientific opinions. Epidemiology, clinical and outcome research, biostatistics, medical regulatory aspects, economic modelling, and health technology assessment skills of our multidisciplinary team empower us to provide multidisciplinary support to research projects. Ranging from the planning phase to the interpretation of findings.