Electrophysiology Counci-Cardiac Society of Australian and New 电生理心脏协会澳大利亚和新理事会.doc

SUBMISSION BY THE ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY AND PACING COUNCIL OF THE CARDIAC SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND TO THE REVIEW OF HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT IN AUSTRALIA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In this submission The Electrophysiology and Pacing Council (EPC) of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ) has made general comments about the structure and regulations surrounding health technology assessment (HTA) in Australia with particular reference to the Prostheses Regulations. Radio-Frequency Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation and Other Complex Arrhythmias is used as an example to demonstrate the difficulties of the current system. The Electrophysiology and Pacing Council of CSANZ is the representative body for cardiologists who specialise in the management of cardiac arrhythmias. This group of physicians implants and follow up pacemakers, defibrillator and cardiac resynchonisation devices and perform catheter ablation procedures to cure cardiac arrhythmias. Term of Reference 1 is addressed. Recommendations are then made which address these difficulties. GENERAL COMMENTS Introduction The EPC supports the Government’s initiative in commissioning the Review of Health Technology Assessment in Australia. Access to safe, effective and cost effective technology is a pre-requisite for an equitable and efficient health care system. Australia’s unique mix of public and private systems in general serves it’s citizen’s well. However it has become apparent that out-dated regulations and the methodology used in some aspects of HTA in Australia do not provide equitable access to some procedures and technologies. In this submission we use the example of Radio-Frequency Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation and other complex arrhythmias as an example of how the current system is not working well in some instances. It is not the purpose of this submission to describe atrial fibrillation and its treatment extensively but some background will be useful in explai