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Behzadifar M. Editorial. yafte 2026; 27 (4)
URL: http://yafte.lums.ac.ir/article-1-3906-en.html
URL: http://yafte.lums.ac.ir/article-1-3906-en.html
Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
Abstract: (27 Views)
In recent decades, health equity and universal health coverage (UHC) have been emphasized as two fundamental goals of health systems worldwide by the World Health Organization and other international organizations (1). Achieving these goals requires evidence-informed decision-making, efficient resource allocation, and informed selection of health interventions; in this context, health technology assessment (HTA) plays a pivotal scientific and policy role (2).
Health technology assessment is a systematic process for evaluating the clinical, economic, social, and ethical aspects of health technologies, ranging from medicines and medical devices to preventive programs and therapeutic interventions. The primary aim of HTA is to enable decision-makers to rely on robust evidence when making judgments about the effectiveness, safety, cost-effectiveness, and social implications of new technologies. This approach helps ensure that limited health system resources are directed toward the real priorities of society (3).
In our country, as in many low- and middle-income countries, rising healthcare costs, rapid growth of medical technologies, and increasing public demand have made the use of HTA more necessary than ever (4). In the absence of rigorous assessment mechanisms, technologies may enter the health system that not only impose substantial financial burdens on health budgets but also offer limited clinical effectiveness. This situation directly conflicts with the principle of health equity, as it leads to inefficient and unfair resource allocation and widens gaps in access to effective services among different population groups (5).
Health technology assessment, on the one hand, serves as a tool to promote equity in access to health services and, on the other hand, provides a foundation for advancing universal health coverage (UHC) (6). Indeed, one of the core pillars of UHC is ensuring that all people have access to essential, safe, effective, and affordable health services. By identifying effective technologies and excluding inefficient options, HTA helps health systems maximize population health benefits within limited resources (7).
In other words, HTA is not merely a technical instrument but a justice-oriented decision-making mechanism. By focusing on real-world effectiveness, economic efficiency, and the social value of technologies, this approach assists policymakers in prioritizing interventions that have the greatest impact on improving population health and reducing health inequalities (8).
The experience of various countries demonstrates that institutionalizing HTA within the structure of the health system is one of the prerequisites for success in achieving universal health coverage. Countries such as Thailand, South Korea, and the United Kingdom have been able to apply evidence-based decisions in resource allocation, national drug formularies, and health insurance programs through national HTA agencies, thereby making significant progress toward equity and financial sustainability of their health systems (9).
In Iran, valuable efforts have been made over the past two decades to develop an HTA system. However, challenges such as weak intersectoral coordination, shortages of skilled human resources, and the lack of binding mechanisms to ensure the use of HTA results in decision-making have prevented the full realization of the system’s potential. Under these circumstances, HTA must be viewed not as a temporary project, but as an integral component of health policy-making and decision-making processes (10).
Ultimately, if health equity is considered the ethical core of the health system, health technology assessment can serve as its scientific and policy backbone. Through strengthening institutional structures, enhancing transparency in decision-making, and effectively using HTA evidence in insurance and treatment policies, meaningful steps can be taken toward reducing inequalities and achieving the ideal of universal health coverage in Iran.
Health technology assessment is a systematic process for evaluating the clinical, economic, social, and ethical aspects of health technologies, ranging from medicines and medical devices to preventive programs and therapeutic interventions. The primary aim of HTA is to enable decision-makers to rely on robust evidence when making judgments about the effectiveness, safety, cost-effectiveness, and social implications of new technologies. This approach helps ensure that limited health system resources are directed toward the real priorities of society (3).
In our country, as in many low- and middle-income countries, rising healthcare costs, rapid growth of medical technologies, and increasing public demand have made the use of HTA more necessary than ever (4). In the absence of rigorous assessment mechanisms, technologies may enter the health system that not only impose substantial financial burdens on health budgets but also offer limited clinical effectiveness. This situation directly conflicts with the principle of health equity, as it leads to inefficient and unfair resource allocation and widens gaps in access to effective services among different population groups (5).
Health technology assessment, on the one hand, serves as a tool to promote equity in access to health services and, on the other hand, provides a foundation for advancing universal health coverage (UHC) (6). Indeed, one of the core pillars of UHC is ensuring that all people have access to essential, safe, effective, and affordable health services. By identifying effective technologies and excluding inefficient options, HTA helps health systems maximize population health benefits within limited resources (7).
In other words, HTA is not merely a technical instrument but a justice-oriented decision-making mechanism. By focusing on real-world effectiveness, economic efficiency, and the social value of technologies, this approach assists policymakers in prioritizing interventions that have the greatest impact on improving population health and reducing health inequalities (8).
The experience of various countries demonstrates that institutionalizing HTA within the structure of the health system is one of the prerequisites for success in achieving universal health coverage. Countries such as Thailand, South Korea, and the United Kingdom have been able to apply evidence-based decisions in resource allocation, national drug formularies, and health insurance programs through national HTA agencies, thereby making significant progress toward equity and financial sustainability of their health systems (9).
In Iran, valuable efforts have been made over the past two decades to develop an HTA system. However, challenges such as weak intersectoral coordination, shortages of skilled human resources, and the lack of binding mechanisms to ensure the use of HTA results in decision-making have prevented the full realization of the system’s potential. Under these circumstances, HTA must be viewed not as a temporary project, but as an integral component of health policy-making and decision-making processes (10).
Ultimately, if health equity is considered the ethical core of the health system, health technology assessment can serve as its scientific and policy backbone. Through strengthening institutional structures, enhancing transparency in decision-making, and effectively using HTA evidence in insurance and treatment policies, meaningful steps can be taken toward reducing inequalities and achieving the ideal of universal health coverage in Iran.
Type of Study: Original Research |
Subject:
سیاست گذاری سلامت
Received: 2026/02/14 | Accepted: 2026/01/30 | Published: 2026/01/30
Received: 2026/02/14 | Accepted: 2026/01/30 | Published: 2026/01/30
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