EMSP joins HTx

The European Multiple Sclerosis Platform joined forces to support EURORDIS and other partners of the HTx project that envisions a new generation of healthcare decision-making. The main aim of HTx is to create a framework for the Next Generation Health Technology Assessment (HTA) to support patient-centered, societally oriented, real-time decision-making on access to and reimbursement for health technologies throughout Europe.

What is the value of such a research endeavour for people with multiple sclerosis (MS)?

Imagine, you consult your doctor about your treatment options and your doctor has a tool, which assesses your personal characteristics to identify the most effective treatment option for you individually. Wouldn’t such a personalised approach to treatment be of great value to MS patients?

The University of Bern, who is one of the Consortium partners in HTx project, is working on this shared patient and doctor decision-making model. A team of researchers is working to create a framework that incorporates evidence from clinical studies and real-world data from large groups of patient participants  By applying statistical models they aim to identify the most optimal treatment option that minimises the relapse rates for the relapsing-remitting form of multiple sclerosis, after taking into account the characteristics of the studied participants with MS. The methodology is under development, but early applications in comparing the effectiveness of three drugs show promising results.

Data can support informed decisions but people with MS must guide research

Prof. Georgia Salanti from the University of Bern is leading a Multiple Sclerosis Case Study within the HTx. She believes that “there is a lot of data out there that speak for the efficacy of the treatments for MS, we need to put them all together in a meaningful way to help people making informed decisions. But we need people with MS to be on board and guide our research, so that it is useful to them.”

If you are a person with MS and would like to engage in HTx project more by, for example, serving in the “MS patient expert pool”, please contact EMSP at programme.coordinator@emsp.org

HTx is a project that received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, which commenced in January 2019 and will last for 5 years.

If you would like to learn more, please visit the HTx website.