Participación ciudadana en el contexto de la evaluación de tecnologías sanitarias / Citizen participation in the context of health technology assessment

ABSTRACT

Citizen participation is important in all economic sectors of the democratic world, as it is also in the field of health. This is due to the significant value of life and therefore enjoying this in a healthy condition. This paper seeks to provide an overview of public participation in the context of Health Technology Assessments (HTA), covering from conceptualization to practical experiences. Within the existing literature, the definitions and methodological aspects of the topic discussed are reviewed, as well as how citizen participation in HTA agencies is manifested, presenting barriers as well as enablers for public involvement. In the Chilean case, where there are no public participation experiences in the context of HTA, a review of these initiatives in the health care sector is performed. In light with the studies examined, it is concluded that there is much to advance in the concreteness of citizen participation in HTA's agencies; efforts at institutional level as well as from community organizations are needed. This review can be useful as an antecedent for countries that are considering incorporating HTA in the future.