Health technology assessment organizations in the Americas strengthen their capacities through a technical exchange with Spanish institutions

Madrid and Barcelona, Spain, May 26, 2026. Representatives from twenty-one Health Technology Assessment (HTA) institutions from 16 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean participated in a technical exchange on health technology assessment in Spain. 

The initiative is part of the project VacMed Equity, Access and Innovation in vaccines and medicines in Latin America and the Caribbean by AECID and was jointly promoted and organized by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in its role as technical secretariat of the Health Technology Assessment Network of the Americas (RedETSA), and the CSAI Foundation, in conjunction with the Spanish Ministry of Health, the Spanish Network of Health Technology Assessment Agencies and Services of the National Health System (RedETS) and AECID.

For five days, HTA specialists from the region shared experiences, tools and challenges with their Spanish counterparts, in a joint effort to strengthen evidence-based health decision-making and promote equitable access to safe, effective and cost-effective health technologies.

A strategic cooperation for public health

The program included visits and meetings with key institutions of the Spanish system, such as the Ministry of Health, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the CSAI Foundation, the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS), the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona and members of RedETS, such as the Health Technology Assessment Agency (AETS) of the Carlos III Health Institute, the Health Technology Assessment Unit of Madrid (UETS) and the Agència de Qualitat i Avaluació Sanitàries de Catalunya (AQuAS).

Throughout the exchange, technical sessions were held on priority topics such as:

• equitable access to health technologies
• use of data and innovation in health
• economic evaluation for decision making
• New Spanish regulations on HTA and a joint European framework on HTA
• artificial intelligence and evaluation of digital technologies
• development and use of advanced therapies.

The activities combined presentations, panels, and collaborative workspaces, facilitating exchange among experts and joint reflection on common challenges, such as the participation of health professionals in evaluation processes, the management of conflicts of interest, and the strengthening of institutional capacities.

Innovation, equity and sustainability

Key themes of the program included new regulatory frameworks for HTA, the incorporation of new technologies, the use of artificial intelligence in HTA, the monitoring of innovations, and equity in access to health technologies. During the meetings, participants were able to delve into key aspects of the organization, legislation, and coordination of HTA processes among agencies and countries.

Towards a regional agenda for strengthening ETS

The program culminated in a closing workshop aimed at systematizing the lessons learned. Good practices were identified and concrete proposals were defined to strengthen HTA in the region, establishing priorities for continued cooperation among the participating institutions.