HTAi 2026 Annual Meeting: Shaping Health Technology Assessment for Global Transformation

The HTAi 2026 Annual Meeting convenes the global health technology assessment community in Istanbul, Türkiye, from June 6 to June 10, 2026, under the central theme “HTA As A System Shaper.” This gathering positions HTA as a strategic evidence-to-policy process capable of influencing governance, prioritization, equity, sustainability, and long-term system resilience amid pressures such as rising costs, rapid technological change, climate impacts, and declining public trust.

Systemic Vision Through Plenary Progression

The plenary program unfolds as a deliberate progression from conceptual vision through demonstrated outcomes to practical implementation. The opening plenary examines the necessity for HTA evolution by incorporating perspectives from policy-makers, payers, innovators, academics, patients, and citizens, with emphasis on embedding equity, trust, and sustainability via foresight and horizon scanning. The second plenary presents concrete examples of policy shifts, access improvements, and system redesign drawn from both established and emerging HTA contexts, focusing on transferable lessons and measurable benefits. The closing plenary addresses methodological innovation, environmental sustainability, governance, financing, and context-sensitive capacity building to translate assessments into sustained change. These sessions are complemented by parallel programming across twelve thematic tracks that span technical assessment, economic evaluation, equity considerations, environmental sustainability, stakeholder engagement, and implementation at multiple system levels, ensuring coverage for participants at all stages of HTA experience. The HTAi 2026 Annual Meeting further strengthens these exchanges by bridging regions with varying levels of system maturity.

Cross-Sector Voices at the Crossroads

The program design highlights contributions from a deliberately diverse array of participants representing policy, payer, innovator, academic, patient, and citizen sectors. This composition reflects an intentional pattern of cross-sector representation intended to bridge established HTA systems with emerging ones. The geographic choice of Istanbul, situated at the intersection of Asia, Africa, and Europe, further reinforces the emphasis on inclusive dialogue and capacity-building exchanges between regions with differing levels of HTA development.

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Reshaping Health-System Governance

The themes and structure outlined for the meeting suggest that HTA may increasingly serve as an instrument for guiding health-system governance and resilience rather than functioning solely as a technical appraisal mechanism. Discussions on equity, sustainability, and implementation frameworks could encourage adoption of context-sensitive approaches that link evidence generation directly to policy outcomes across diverse settings. By convening newcomers alongside experienced practitioners and facilitating networking that extends beyond the event dates, the gathering is positioned to support both foundational learning and advanced stewardship of HTA practices, potentially strengthening international collaboration on evidence-informed decision-making.