Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment (HEHTA)

Evidence Synthesis

Programme lead: Olivia Wu

The Evidence Synthesis Programme encompasses all research work associated with systematic review, and meta-analysis of direct, indirect and network evidence.  The following are recently completed or ongoing evidence synthesis projects:

Estimating Cost Effectiveness for Screening Strategies for Hepatitis B, C and HIV Infection in different populations in Europe

Funded by European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the first phase of the project involves systematic reviewing of all existing studies and critiquing economic models that evaluated the cost-effectiveness of HBV, HCV and HIV screening. The second phase of the project involves the development of a cost-effectiveness screening model and toolkit to be used across Europe.

HEHTA contact person: Olivia Wu, Elisabeth Fenwick

External catheters and totally implanted ports for the delivery of chemotherapy

In order to support the design of a pilot trial on the use of external catheters and totally implanted ports for the delivery of chemotherapy, a systematic review was conducted to evaluate the complication rates associated with external catheters compared with totally implantable ports in patients undergoing chemotherapy.  The results of this study highlighted the gaps in the evidence and provided the justification for a randomised controlled trial.   Subsequently, a pilot trial was funded by the CSO Scotland, and more recently, a full large-scale randomised controlled trial has been funded by NIHR HTA.  

HEHTA contact: Olivia Wu

Overview of reviews on pharmacological interventions for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori

Commissioned by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, this study will systematically review all existing systematic reviews on pharmacological interventions for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori.  Where appropriate, a network meta-analysis will be carried out to determine the relative clinical effectiveness of all interventions.

HEHTA contact: Olivia Wu