Using HTA to Identify Research Gaps

Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) HTA Initiative #24.

Health technology assessments (HTAs) routinely identify questions or research ‘gaps’ that are not adequately addressed by the primary research. The unique situation of having an HTA unit housed within a provincial research funding organization provided an ideal setting for linking research gaps pinpointed by HTAs to the funding mechanism for primary research. A pilot project was undertaken with the following objectives.

1. To assess how well HTA reports published by the AHFMR HTA unit identify research gaps.
2. To develop a process for distilling research questions from an AHFMR HTA report that could be used to inform the research funding agenda of the AHFMR. The feasibility, challenges, and implications of such an initiative will also be considered.

Information Specialist: Liza Chan

NOTE: In 2006 the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research HTA unit moved to IHE. Documents produced in and prior to 2006 have different formats; the format was determined by the agency for which the document was produced.