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. 2023 Dec 1;1(10):e12034.
doi: 10.1002/cesm.12034. eCollection 2023 Dec.

The international HTA database returned incomplete search results for NICE technology appraisals: An exploratory study and discussion of the implications

Christopher Cooper  1 , Sabrina Smith  2
Affiliations

The international HTA database returned incomplete search results for NICE technology appraisals: An exploratory study and discussion of the implications

Christopher Cooper et al. Cochrane Evid Synth Methods. .

Abstract

Introduction: The International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA) database offers a single point of access for identifying technology appraisals, in contrast to searching multiple websites directly. The aim of this research is to compare the coverage of the INAHTA and Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) Health Technology Assessment (HTA) databases with direct searching on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) website to identify Technology Appraisals published by NICE.

Methods: NICE Technology Appraisals were downloaded from the NICE website (April 2022). Technology Appraisals were randomized and the first 20 Technology Appraisals constituted data for analysis. The INAHTA and CRD HTA databases were searched to determine if the 20 Technology Appraisals available on the NICE website were also available for retrieval.

Results: Coverage was incomplete. INAHTA: 15 of 20 Technology Appraisals (75%) were not identified via full title or intervention-specific searches. CRD HTA: 7 of 12 Technology Appraisals (58%) that were published before the last update of the database were not identified.

Conclusion: Findings indicate that researchers seeking to identify NICE Technology Appraisals should search the NICE website directly. How this finding impacts identification of guidance from other agencies should be evaluated.

Keywords: HTA; Health Technology Assessment; INAHTA; International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment database; National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

    1. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Guide to the Processes of Technology Appraisal. 2018. https://www.nice.org.uk/Media/Default/About/what-we-do/NICE-guidance/NIC... - PubMed
    1. Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD). HTA Database. University of York; 2022. Accessed June 19, 2022. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/CRDWeb/
    1. International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA). HTA Database. 2020. Accessed June 19, 2020. https://www.inahta.org/hta-database/
    1. Cooper C, Lorenc T, Schauberger U. What you see depends on where you sit: the effect of geographical location on web‐searching for systematic reviews: a case study. Res Synth Methods. 2021;12(4):557‐570. 10.1002/jrsm.1485 - DOI - PubMed
    1. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) . [TA210] Clopidogrel and Modified‐Release Dipyridamole for the Prevention of Occlusive Vascular Events. 2010. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta210

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