Advancing cooperation in Health Technology Assessment in Europe: insights from the EUnetHTA 21 project amidst the evolving legal landscape of European HTA.

Health Technology Assessment (HTA) in Europe has undergone significant evolution, culminating in the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2021/2282 on HTA (HTAR) aimed at fostering sustainable collaboration in HTA at the European Union (EU) level. The EUnetHTA 21 project, a 2-year initiative, was commissioned to address key methodological issues and prepare for the implementation of the HTAR. This commentary documents the outcomes of the EUnetHTA 21 project, focusing on Joint Clinical Assessments (JCAs), while analyzing challenges encountered and lessons learned for future collaboration under the HTAR.

Are we doing enough to control infection risk in Australian small animal veterinary practice? Findings from a mixed methods study.

Background: Managing risk effectively within small animal veterinary practice is integral for staff, patient and client safety. Veterinary personnel are exposed to many risks, including bites, scratches, sharps injuries and exposure to zoonotic diseases and multi-resistant organisms. Patients may also be exposed to healthcare-associated infections, including multi-resistant organisms.

4CMenB Breadth of Immune Response, Immunogenicity, and Safety: Results From a Phase 3 Randomized, Controlled, Observer Blind Study in Adolescents and Young Adults.

Background: Meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) strains are highly diverse. Breadth of immune response for the MenB vaccine, 4CMenB, administered at 0-2, 0-6, or 0-2-6 months, was demonstrated by endogenous complement-human serum bactericidal antibody (enc-hSBA) assay against an epidemiologically relevant panel of 110 MenB strains.

Methods: In a phase 3 trial, 3651 healthy 10- to 25-year-old participants were randomized 5:5:9:1 to receive 4CMenB (0-6 schedule), 4CMenB (0-2-6 schedule), investigational MenABCWY vaccine, or control MenACWY-CRM vaccine.

17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase deficiency (17-OHD): A Meta-analysis of Reported Cases.

Purpose: Homozygous pathogenic variants in the CYP17A1 gene result in defective activity of the steroidogenic enzymes 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase resulting in the clinical syndrome 17-OHD characterised by hypertension, hypokalaemia, and disorders of sexual development. Pathogenic variants of CYP17A1 lead to complete or partial loss of enzymatic activity and clinical presentations of varying severity. This study aimed to examine relationships between CYP17A1 genotype and clinical presentation in a global cohort.