Med Tech-related health technology assessments in Wales in June 2026

Health Technology Wales (HTW) is a national body working to improve the quality of care in Wales. It is funded by the Welsh Government and hosted within NHS Wales, but is independent of both. HTW covers medical devices, diagnostics, procedures, psychological therapies, models of care, and social care support, excluding pharmaceuticals.

HTW uses a staged process of assessment by developing three types of documents. The topic exploration report (TER) aimed to assess whether there is enough evidence to proceed with a full appraisal and whether the topic meets the appraisal selection criteria. Based on the TER conclusions, HTW's Assessment Group decides whether to progress this topic further. If yes, the following two documents can be developed: Evidence Appraisal Report (EAR) and Guidance (GUI). Recommendations are not mandatory; the status of HTW guidance is "adopt or justify," meaning that the local health board and other relevant bodies are expected to report on how they have considered the appraisal and guidance. If they have chosen not to adopt HTW guidance, they are asked to outline their rationale and justify their decision.

In June 2026, HTW accomplished one full appraisal, published the Evidence Appraisal Report and Guidance on Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) for breast imaging in people with suspected breast cancer, and concluded that more evidence is needed on the procedure before it can be recommended for use. HTW found limited clinical effectiveness evidence for CBCT and was unable to determine cost effectiveness because the evidence was insufficient for a robust evaluation. HTW recommended providing further studies directly comparing CBCT with standard imaging approaches in Wales, especially digital breast tomosynthesis and contrast-enhanced mammography, along with additional data on diagnosis and treatment timelines, resource use, and health-related quality-of-life outcomes.

In addition, three TERs were published in the fields of e-health and in vitro diagnostics, for which HTW's Assessment Group decided not to proceed with a full appraisal, including multi-gene blood-based DNA methylation tests for the detection and risk stratification of colorectal cancer. 

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