News from Health Technology Assessments

NHS patients will benefit from £20 million investment into surgical research

Patients will benefit from £20 million funding into research on new cutting-edge surgical techniques, the President of the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) has said. Ten of these projects have been funded by the NIHR HTA Programme. These include a project looking at total ankle replacement versus ankle arthrodesis and bypass versus angioplasty in severe ischaemia of the leg. [more…]

Intraoperative Radiation for Breast Cancer Study in The Lancet

The five year results of an NIHR HTA-funded study, on targeted intraoperative radiotherapy (TARGIT) for patients with breast cancer, have been published in The Lancet. [more…]

NIHR launches “Focus on Stroke” as ground-breaking stroke trial opens in the UK

EuroHYP-1, the largest worldwide clinical trial of a new revolutionary stroke treatment called Therapeutic Hypothermia, is due to open in the UK. The study is just one of those featured on “Focus on Stroke”, a new online resource from the NIHR aimed at raising public awareness of the exciting developments happening in stroke research. [more…]

Health Technology Assessment bulletin – May 2013

Effectiveness of biofeedback for managing stress incontinence in women

A new study funded by the HTA Programme will find out whether the use of biofeedback can help to improve the results of teaching pelvic floor exercises for women with stress or mixed urinary incontinence. [more…]

SMILE to help those with poorly controlled epilepsy

A new study funded by the HTA Programme will look at how effective a programme called Self-Management education for adults with poorly controlled epilepsy (SMILE) is in helping those with poorly controlled seizures to become ‘experts’ in dealing with their epilepsy. [more…]

Exercise ineffective against depression in care home residents finds HTA research published in The Lancet

Exercise is not effective in reducing rates of depression among elderly care home residents, according to the findings of an HTA Programme study. [more…]

HTA Bulletin: vaccination programme

From Health Technology Assessment

Swine flu vaccination results in Lancet Infectious Diseases

Results from an NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme H1N1 swine flu project published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, shows that the vaccination programme introduced in Scotland in October 2009 had a positive effect in reducing the number of hospital admissions and deaths.  [more…]

Nice news from NICE – the Lancet online

Some excellent news from NICE announced yesterday 20 December. 

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has signed a 3 year agreement to provide staff with access to The Lancet via NHS Evidence (www.evidence.nhs.uk) – the service provided by NICE.From 3 January 2012, every member of staff who is eligible for an NHS Athens password can access the latest online editions of The Lancet, as well as back copies from the last 4 years, removing the need for NHS library services  and  individual members of staff  to subscribe to access The Lancet online – a move which will save time and money and which will provide NHS-wide access to this valued resource.The agreement will also cover healthcare students from an NHS-commissioned education programme involving practice and placement within NHS services across England.

In addition, a free print copy of the Lancet will be sent to your NHS library every month for the next three years, starting with the first issue in January 2012. 

Please share this information with colleagues.  Thank you.