After decades of controversy, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new H.I.V. test on Tuesday that for the first time makes it possible for Americans to learn in the privacy of their homes whether they are infected.The availability of an H.I.V. test as easy to use as a home-pregnancy kit is y

Time-lapse photography has shown that embryos of smoking women develop more slowly.French academics in an IVF clinic took regular pictures of an egg from the moment it was fertilised until it was ready to be implanted into the mother.At all stages of development, embryos from smokers were consistent

More rationing of care and charging for services in the NHS need to be considered as it faces at least a decade of austerity, experts say.The Institute for Fiscal Studies says the coming years will be the toughest since the early 1950s when dental and prescription fees were introduced.Other measures

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed healthcare systems around the world. One of important issues that COVID-19 clearly emphasizes is the critical importance of information on health technology and policy. Handling the COVID-19 pandemic was difficult at the beginning because humanity all faced the

Why do we need to make health technology assessment (HTA) more realistic? Is HTA not realistic nowadays? The answers can be both YES and NO.HTA is a form of research for synthesising data to evaluate properties, effects, and impacts of health interventions and technology in diffe

By Chayapat Rachatan and Kanchanok SirisonOn June 28, 2022, the Health Technology and Assessment Program (HITAP), Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, hosted a workshop on “Health incentive mechanisms present and future: UK’s experience of Pay for Performance and Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF)”. I

Welcome to Bhutan, the land of the Thunder Dragon nested amidst the breathtaking grandeur of the Eastern Himalayas. Guided by the concept of the Gross National Happiness, Bhutan’s constitution mandates access to free basic public health services, for both modern and traditional medicine. Nonetheless

On January 23rd, just one day after joining HITAP, I was presented with an opportunity to travel to Bangkok for the renowned annual Prince Mahidol Award Conference (PMAC). The PMAC 2024, hosted at the Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre from January 22nd-27th, 2024, proved to be an enlight

The world is rapidly changing. In mid-2023, NASA found that the average temperature in the Northern Hemisphere was the highest in 170 years, with ice melting 6-7 times faster compared to 25 years ago. Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), announced

In a constantly evolving world of healthcare, staying updated and informed about new developments and innovations is essential. The Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program (HITAP), a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) organisation in the Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, had the opp