Brazil Ministry of Health hosts international workshop on ultra-rare disease technology assessment

The Brazilian Ministry of Health participated in the II International Workshop on Health Technology Assessment (HTA) for Ultra-Rare Diseases held in Rio de Janeiro on September 16 and 17. The event focused on the theme “Evidence that connects science, evaluation, and health decisions,” bringing together national and international experts to discuss methodological challenges in applying HTA to ultra-rare diseases.

Luciene Bonan, director of the Department of Management and Incorporation of Health Technologies, noted that the difficulty of producing and interpreting evidence for ultra-rare diseases requires methodological advancements in health technology assessment. The workshop was promoted by the National Institute of Cardiology (INC) and the Pró-Coração Foundation (Fundacor), with cooperation from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the University of York.

A key component of the event was the presentation of work from the York Project, a scientific and methodological cooperation program established through a memorandum of understanding between the Brazilian Ministry of Health and the University of York. This partnership aims to strengthen scientific cooperation and research in health technology assessment, specifically regarding cost-effectiveness thresholds.