Gastein, Austria, 6 October 2007. The European Health Technology Institute for Socio-Economic Research (Research Institute) has been launched and introduced to policy-makers and other attendees at the European Health Forum Gastein.
The goal of the Research Institute is to carry out European research to provide policy-makers with robust evidence on the social and economic value of medical technology, in particular medical devices, to enable decisions furthering the principles of equity, effectiveness and efficiency in healthcare systems.
Medical technology is amongst the most dynamic sectors in Europe, contributing to significant increase in life expectancy and improvements in quality of life. However, there are concerns regarding the sustainability of European healthcare systems. Research suggests a correlation between medical technology innovation and economic growth, but too little is known on how innovation impacts the economy and welfare of European countries. The Research Institute aims to become an important source of data and evidence on this particular topic.
The European Health Technology Institute for Socio-Economic Research builds upon a close collaboration between leading academic institutions Università Bocconi, Milan, The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and the Technische Universität Berlin (TUB), policy-makers and industry in order to fill the gaps in research and evidence on medical technology in Europe.
Rosanna Tarricone, Executive Director of the Research Institute says: "We realized that in order to continue to improve access to innovative and reliable medical technology for patients in Europe, we need to present policy-makers with evidence that national and European economies will continue to thrive better with a healthy population." In a joint statement, Professors Elio Borgonovi (Bocconi), Reinhard Busse (TUB) and Panos Kanavos (LSE) add: "It is the role of academia to conduct baseline research and present scientific facts in an independent and balanced view. We are excited to be able to carry-out these research projects as part of the Research Institute." Spanish Senator Carles Alfred Gasòliba I Böhm, member of the Research Institute´s Research Council, concludes that, "This institute will bridge the gap between medical technology, innovation, and healthcare policy. I look forward to discussing the results with national and European policy-makers in the months and years to come. This initiative will partly fulfil the goals of the Lisbon Agenda, with research and development set to become one of the key policies of the European Union."
The Research Institute will publish the first results early 2008.
For more information on the Research Institute and interview requests or to subscribe to the Institute newsletter please contact:
Secretariat of the European Health Technology Institute for Socio-Economic Research
Telephone: +32 (0) 2 626 95 75
Fax: +32 (0) 2 626 95 01
E-mail: contact@together4healthinnovation.eu
Web: www.together4healthinnovation.eu
