Nordic collaboration on health technology assessment (HTA) of medicinal products

The FINOSE collaboration was initiated in 2018 by the HTA authorities in Finland, Norway and Sweden. The collaboration was extended to include Denmark in 2023 and Iceland in 2024. In conjunction to the expansion of the FINOSE group, FINOSE changed its name to Joint Nordic HTA-Bodies, (JNHB) in June 2024.

Within the collaboration the HTA bodies carry out joint assessments of medicinal products. The work includes assessing the treatment effect of a new drug compared to the drug currently used in clinical practice, that is the relative effectiveness, as well as a health economic assessment. Decisions on price and reimbursement, as well as recommendations for use are made at the national level in each country. By working together and sharing knowledge, the collaboration aims to produce high-quality assessment reports that provide solid support for national decisions.

The overarching goal of the collaboration is to support equal access to medicines for patients in the Nordic countries. Through knowledge sharing, we work to reduce differences in methodology and evidence requirements between the Nordic HTA organisations. Additional objectives are to increase the efficiency of assessments and to reduce the administrative burden for the industry.

The basis for the cooperation is outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding, signed in April 2024 by the collaborating HTA organisations;

• The Danish Medicines Council (DMC),
• The Finnish Medicines Agency (Fimea),
• Landspitali- The National University Hospital of Iceland,
• The Norwegian Medical Products Agency (NOMA) and
• The Swedish Dental and Pharmaceutical Benefits Agency (TLV).

JNHB evaluates medicinal products in all disease areas and focuses primarily on in-patient products used at hospitals. A prerequisite for joint Nordic evaluation is that there is a similar treatment practice in the Nordic countries for the therapeutic area in question.

For more information about JNHB, see www.jnhtabodies.org External link..

The JNHB team can be reached via contact@jnhtabodies.org