News
Screening test for heart defects in newborn babies
Screening test for heart defects in newborn babies
31 January 2012
Children show protected immunity from pandemic flu vaccine one year later
Results of a follow-up trial have shown that children who received two doses of the H1N1 pandemic influenza vaccine split-virion containing AS03B adjuvant showed lasting protection from the flu one year later.
30 January 2012
2011’s HTA Journal downloads at record high
Health Technology Assessment (HTA), the internationally acclaimed journal, was downloaded more than 179, 000 times during 2011.
18 January 2012
Incentives for breastfeeding and smoking cessation
Evaluating the use of incentives to help women stop smoking during pregnancy and encourage breastfeeding until six months.
14 December 2011
New study into fluid in the middle ear funded
A new study looking at the best treatment for children with fluid in the middle ear has been funded by the NIHR HTA programme.
05 December 2011
Exercise referral schemes published in the BMJ
Results of an NIHR HTA funded study, indicating uncertainty as to the effectiveness of exercise referral schemes as a means of increasing physical activity and improving the health outcomes of sedentary individuals, has published in the BMJ.
18 November 2011
Assessing exercise interventions
A NIHR HTA programme project has been funded under the 45th HTA commissioning board aiming to improve people’s health by incorporating more exercise into their lifestyles.
16 November 2011
Long term effects of weight loss surgery evaluated
Pioneering research commissioned by the NIHR HTA programme is evaluating the long term effectiveness of weight loss surgery on health.
14 October 2011
Little evidence found to support use of PET-CT in primary bowel cancer
Research published in Health Technology Assessment has found little evidence to support the use of PET-CT add-on imaging device in the pre-operative staging of bowel cancer.
13 October 2011
Evaluating longer term outcomes of NHS stop smoking services
New research funded by the NIHR HTA programme, is evaluating the long term outcomes of NHS stop smoking services, the UK’s unique free at the point of use smoking treatment service.
28 September 2011
600 reports of the NIHR HTA journal published
The NIHR HTA programme’s internationally recognised journal series Health Technol. Assess. has now achieved a milestone of 600 published reports.
28 September 2011
Mammographic surveillance increases chance of survival
New research published in Health Technology Assessment 2011; vol. 15:34 has found that surveillance using mammography increases the survival chances of breast cancer patients. The research was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) programme.
22 September 2011
NETSCC publishes a pilot evaluation of the draft MHRA risk-adapted approaches guidance
NETSCC has published the results of a pilot evaluation examining the draft Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) guidance on risk-adapted approaches to the management of clinical trials of investigational products.
21 September 2011
Results in treatment of Verrucae
Research has shown no evidence of a difference in clearance rates between patient self-treatment and treatment given by healthcare professional for verrucae.
12 September 2011
Opportunity to join the HTA programme’s Funding Boards
Opportunity to join the HTA programme’s Funding Boards
12 August 2011
Safety of antidepressant drugs for older people published in BMJ
Results of a study published in Health Technol Assess which found that tricyclic antidepressants (TCA) selective may be associated with lower risks of several adverse outcomes, compared to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and some other antidepressants in older people with depression, has published in the BMJ.
08 August 2011
NIHR TCC launches Research Professorships
The NIHR Trainees Coordinating Centre (TCC) is inviting nominations from universities and NHS organisations in England for up to five NIHR Research Professorships
08 August 2011
Physical therapy for prostate surgery published in The Lancet
Results of a study, which found that that one-to-one conservative physical therapy for men who are incontinent after prostate surgery is unlikely to be effective, has published in The Lancet
05 August 2011
Newborn heart screening study publishes in The Lancet
A quick and painless test that measures blood oxygen levels is able to detect more cases of life threatening congenital heart defects than current standard approaches reports research published in The Lancet.
26 July 2011
Intervention to prevent aggressive behaviour in schools
A new study examining the delivery, effectiveness and cost effectiveness of a universal intervention to reduce aggressive behaviours in adolescents in the school environment has been funded by the HTA programme.
30 June 2011
Treatments for heavy menstrual bleeding evaluated
Results of a recently published HTA project in the BMJ (26 April) indicate that hysterectomies are the most cost-effective solution for heavy menstrual bleeding, but less invasive techniques should be offered first.
22 June 2011
New study tests treatments for uterine fibroids
A five-year randomised clinical trial funded by the NIHR HTA programme will compare two different treatments for fibroids; surgical removal of the fibroid (myomectomy) or cutting the blood supply to the fibroid by blocking the blood vessels (uterine artery embolisation), to help gynaecologists and women decide on the best treatment.
15 June 2011
Influenza A/H1N1 (swine flu) in pregnancy study publishes in BMJ
A recent publication in the HTA journal series has published in the BMJ (BMJ 2011;342:d3214).
15 June 2011
Leukotriene receptor antagonists for the treatment of asthma
New research, published in the New England Journal of Medicine (5th May 2011), has evaluated the use of pills for the treatment of asthma. The research found that lesser prescribed leukotriene antagonists could be used as an alternative to long-acting β2-agonists.
10 June 2011
New blood tests reduce the number of people admitted to hospital with suspected heart attacks
A new study has found that fewer people were admitted to hospital when point-of-care blood tests were used to diagnose patients with severe chest pain. The research has published in Health Technology Assessment, 2011; Vol 15:23.
07 June 2011
Comparison of length of radiotherapy treatment in early breast cancer
A new clinical trial, funded by the NIHR HTA programme, will compare one week of radiotherapy treatment to the UK standard three week treatment in early breast cancer. The trial will be conducted over 15 years as adverse effects from radiotherapy can continue for many years after treatment.
06 June 2011
Blood tests for active tuberculosis infection evaluated
A new study to examine two blood tests that detect the presence of active Tuberculosis (TB) infection has been commissioned by the NIHR HTA programme.
24 May 2011
CRASH-2 trial wins BMJ Research Paper of the Year
Research funded by the NIHR HTA programme into early administration of tranexamic acid (TXA) in patients who suffered major trauma, has won the BMJ’s award for Research Paper of the Year at the 2011 BMJ Group award ceremony on the 18 May.
18 May 2011
Patients help highlight ‘serious’ side effects of drugs
Patients help highlight ‘serious’ side effects of drugs
11 May 2011
Reducing death in trauma - Taking Action: United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020
Reducing death in trauma - Taking Action: United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020
30 March 2011
CRASH-2 trial publishes in the Lancet
The CRASH-2 trial, originally published in 2010, has published a further article in the Lancet.
28 March 2011
Assessment in obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea syndrome in older people
Assessment in obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea syndrome in older people
08 March 2011
Ultrasound not found to improve leg ulcers
A five-year study funded by the NIHR HTA programme has shown that ultrasound therapy does not speed up the healing process of leg ulceration – contrary to what had been expected.
04 March 2011
First woman appointed as Chief Medical Officer
The government announced yesterday that Professor Dame Sally Davies has been named as the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for England, the first woman to hold the post.
21 February 2011
New research in insulin administration for type 1 diabetes
New research into insulin administration for type1 diabetes has been commissioned by the NIHR HTA programme. The study will compare the outcomes for children and young adults using an infusion pump for their daily injections.
16 February 2011
Water softeners not found to improve childhood eczema
The first study of its kind in the world – involving 336 children aged between six months and 16 years old - has shown that installing a water softener for three months brings no additional relief for eczema sufferers.
11 February 2011
BMJ uncertainties series focuses on HTA projects
The BMJ Uncertainties Page will be featuring a series of articles that focus on areas of clinical uncertainty being investigated by HTA research.
11 February 2011
Manual is better than automation for reading smear tests
Manual reading of cervical smear slides is better than automation-assisted reading at detecting abnormal cells, finds research published in Health Technology Assessment today.
18 January 2011
Study to test feasibility of lung cancer screening programme
A pilot study to investigate if a lung cancer screening programme could be implemented effectively at hospitals and cancer centres, across the UK, has been funded by the NIHR HTA programme.
04 January 2011
Research compares new imaging technologies for the diagnosis of Glaucoma
Three new tests to identify glaucoma are being compared in new research commissioned by the NIHR HTA programme to identify which is the most effective method.
News feeds
Follow NIHR on Twitter