PRESENTATIONS
ARCS 2025 Annual Conference
Session Spotlight: Horizon Scanning and HTA – Past, Present and Future
Presented by Lucid Health Consulting Director George Papadopoulos alongside Orin Chisholm and Franz Pichler. This insightful session examined the evolving role of horizon scanning in supporting Health Technology Assessment (HTA) in Australia.
Drawing on a 17-year retrospective, the session explored how horizon scanning can evolve under the HTA Reform process to address current limitations and future implementation challenges. The speakers underscored the urgent need for a forward-looking, structured approach to better align innovation pipelines with patient access.
Key Challenges Highlighted:
-
The current lengthy timelines from non-clinical development to implementation continue to hinder timely patient access to innovative therapies.
-
Australia’s current reactive model is no longer sustainable; it’s time for proactive planning.
Proposed Framework for the Future:
-
A dedicated, independent body (potentially university-based) to lead structured horizon scanning.
-
Multiple expert committees, each tailored to inform specific use cases such as HTA, national commissioning, and state-based service planning.
-
Federal government funding with integrated coordination across all jurisdictions.
-
Focus on high-impact, budget-significant innovations initially to drive the greatest health and economic benefit.
Lucid Health Consulting are providers of expert advice in health economics, pricing & reimbursement, market access and regulatory affairs in Australia. Enabling companies to optimise the entry of their pharmaceutical, biotech and medical devices into the Australian market.