The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) unit held its first public consultation last June 11, 2020 through Zoom Teleconference to present the initial results of the reassessment  of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines (PCV) which is currently implemented by the DOH- National Immunization Program (NIP).

True to the mandate of HTA to be a fair and transparent prioritization setting mechanism for the development of policies and programs, regulation, and the determination of a range of entitlements to all Filipinos, the public consultation was held to inform the stakeholders regarding the initial findings of the health technology assessment of PCV. This provided a platform for them to provide feedback and express their insights through an open forum moderated by the HTA unit head, Dr. Anna Melissa Guerrero. Representatives from the NIP, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines (PIDSP), the Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations (PAPO) and the companies which manufacture PCV were also given a chance to react to the results of the assessment.  The comments received from the stakeholders were assessed by the HTA Council for consideration in their recommendation-making. 

Over 80 participants attended the event which included the manufacturers of the PCV products, representatives of the NIP and regional implementers, PhilHealth, patient groups and civil society organizations, as well as clinical and economic experts. Dr. Marita V. Tolentino- Reyes, the chair of HTA Council welcomed the participants and conveyed that the whole feat serves as a test of intellectual humility and  is a necessary step for professional growth, and modeling transparency in decision making. .

The assessment of PCV consisted of clinical and economic evaluation as well as the assessment of its ethical, legal, social, and health systems implication. This was conducted by the HTA unit through the supervision of the HTA Subcommittee on Vaccines composed of Dr. Mediadora C. Saniel, Dr. Mary Anne Roldan-Castor and Dr. Jose Enrico Lazaro.