Development of the first guideline for the standardization of health technology assessment in traditional Chinese medicine

Health technology assessment (HTA) in the field of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is in its infancy, and its development has been relatively slow. The shifting disease burden pattern has driven a growing demand for TCM-HTA to optimize resource allocation, particularly in managing chronic diseases. To promote the development of TCM-HTA, it is important to address current TCM-HTA development issues in a targeted manner and enhance the TCM-HTA system to improve the quality and efficiency of limited health resource utilization. We systematically analyzed HTA methodological guidelines to summarize the development experiences of HTA organizations globally. The imperative development of HTA in the field of TCM should: a. Clarify the types of health technologies used in clinical TCM practice and define the objects of assessment. b. Develop technical specifications for the implementation of HTA in TCM. c. Choose appropriate assessment perspectives and involve patients, guided by their real needs and clinical problems. d. Formulate HTA methods and processes that reflect the characteristics of TCM. e. Establish a multi-level assessment model for teamwork, with a clear division of responsibilities and tasks among different members. This analysis will enable the development of guidelines for implementing HTA in TCM, based on current healthcare policies and the needs of clinical practice. These guidelines include the definition and classification of TCM health technologies, steps for implementing HTA in TCM, assessment domains, the TCM-HTA reporting checklist, and relevant explanations and data sources.