title: [Health technology assessment: experience in the Ministry of Health of Brazil].
abstract: This article aims to describe the main activities carried out by the Ministry of Health of Brazil (MHB) for the development of Health Technology Assessments (HTA). It is a description based on the MHB efforts and strategies to strengthen this area in the last years. Five are the lines of action put in place for that purpose: (i) adoption of a National Policy for the Management of Health Technology, (ii) supporting the decision making process in the Unified Health System, (iii ) promotion of the performance of studies on HTA, (iv) training of strategic human resources, and (v) institutional coordination at national and international levels. However, challenges remain to achieve a more effective structure for HTA in Brazil, like the creation of a government institution with greater administrative flexibility, among others.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciência e Tecnologia, Secretaria de Ciência, Tecnologia e Insumos Estratégicos, Ministério da Saúde, Brasilia, DF, Brasil. marcus.silva@saude.gov.br
authors.forename: Marcus Tolentino
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D020811:Biomedical Technology / Q000592:standards*; D001938:Brazil; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006078:Government Programs; D006801:Humans; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical