Intervention research is research undertaken to develop new or improved healthcare interventions and to evaluate the effectiveness of pharmacologic interventions. This is considered to be the most reliable evidence in healthcare research. In a clinical trial setting, the researcher aims to explore whether a medical strategy, a treatment or a device is safe and effective for humans. Clinical trials produce the best data available for healthcare decision making by utilising stringent scientific standards and protocols in the design and development of intervention research.

In this module we will aim to assist the phrasing of focused and specific clinical questions requiring decision making, search medical literature and apply validity criteria to therapeutic, pharmacoeconomic and meta-analytic research. By the end of this module, you should be able to understand critical appraisal, learn about evaluating Harm and where Guidelines fit in. You will review economic evaluations with the check list and work through some practical examples in Health Economics.

Health economics covers a wide spectrum of activities related to the cost-effectiveness and affordability and access of medicines. The tools that can be used in health economics may differ depending on the perspective, i.e. public vs private healthcare, macro vs micro setting, primary vs tertiary healthcare etc. This module takes a micro-level view of the health economics of a specific healthcare intervention (e.g. a new high cost medicine) rather than that of a healthcare programme (e.g. rolling out a vaccination programme) or healthcare system. However, this module does incorporate all the fundamental principles of health economics so that you will be able to use these in many different settings.

Key knowledge for those in the med-tech space who wish to introduce new technologies into South Africa

Introducing new technologies into the South African health care market can be daunting. Funders and other stakeholders manage prioritisation, utilisation, and health care costs through tools such as the Health Technology Assessment (HTA). Medical device registration, FDA certification and CE Mark, are critical quality, safety and efficacy indicators, but are merely authorizations to enter a particular market. They represent an absolute minimum requirement for market access but are not a guarantee for adoption and/or reimbursement. Policy makers and funders demand more!

Despite its market access focus, this course it not exclusively for market access personnel. Every level of business decision-maker will benefit by attending, learning to navigate these hurdles efficiently within resource constrained businesses.

This is where sample activities are posted to show participants how a course work without going through an actual live course.