title: Health technology assessment in Iran: challenges and views.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Various decisions have been made on technology application at all levels of the health system in different countries around the world. Health technology assessment is considered as one of the best scientific tools at the service of policy- makers. This study attempts to investigate the current challenges of Iran's health technology assessment and provide appropriate strategies to establish and institutionalize this program.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was carried out in two independent phases. In the first, electronic databases such as Medline (via Pub Med) and Scientific Information Database (SID) were searched to provide a list of challenges of Iran's health technology assessment. The views and opinions of the experts and practitioners on HTA challenges were studied through a questionnaire in the second phase which was then analyzed by SPSS Software version 16. This has been an observational and analytical study with a thematic analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the first phase, seven papers were retrieved; from which, twenty- two HTA challenges in Iran were extracted by the researchers; and they were used as the base for designing a structured questionnaire of the second phase. The views of the experts on the challenges of health technology assessment were categorized as follows: organizational culture, stewardship, stakeholders, health system management, infrastructures and external pressures which were mentioned in more than 60% of the cases and were also common in the views.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The identification and prioritization of HTA challenges which were approved by those experts involved in the strategic planning of the Department of Health Technology Assessment will be a step forward in the promotion of an evidence- based policy- making and in the production of comprehensive scientific evidence.
authors.affiliation: 1. Assistant Professor, National Institute for Health Research -General Director of Health Technology Assessment, Standardization and Tariff Department, Deputy of curative affairs, MOHME, Tehran, Iran. arolyaee@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olyaeemanesh
authors.affiliation: 2. MSc, MPH,PhD Candidate of Health Service Management, Medical science school, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, shiladoaee@live.com.
authors.forename: Shila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doaee
authors.affiliation: 3. PhD Candidate of Health Service Management, School of Management and Economics, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. mobinreza@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mohammadreza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mobinizadeh
authors.affiliation: 4. MSc in Health Care Administration, Deputy of curative affairs, MOHME, Tehran, Iran. merciful.2008@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nedjati
authors.affiliation: 5. BSc in Health Care Administration, Department of Payment and Financing System, National Institute for Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. aboeep@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Parisa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aboee
authors.affiliation: 6. Associate Professor, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. emami_r@health.gov.ir.
authors.forename: Seyed Hassan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Emami-Razavi
keywords: Challenges; Evidence Based Policy Making; HTA; Iran