Build a Clear and Credible Evidence Base

When You May Need a Systematic Literature Review

A systematic literature review may be required when your company needs a complete and transparent understanding of the evidence relating to a technology, disease, comparator, clinical outcome or economic question.

It may support reimbursement and HTA submissions, value dossier development, health economic modeling, clinical strategy, publication planning or internal decision-making.

An SLR is particularly useful when the evidence is fragmented across different study designs, outcomes, device generations or clinical settings.

What Evidence Is Available?

We use a predefined and reproducible methodology to identify the relevant published evidence across appropriate bibliographic databases and other sources.

How Reliable and Consistent Is the Evidence?

We assess study characteristics, quality, risk of bias and differences in methodology, populations, comparators and outcomes.

What Does the Overall Evidence Show?

We synthesize the findings into a transparent and structured summary. Where appropriate, we conduct a meta-analysis to estimate pooled effects and explore differences between studies.

Our work helps your team determine:

What studies have been conducted

What the evidence shows about safety, effectiveness or other outcomes

Where findings are consistent or conflicting

How robust the available evidence is

Which populations, comparators and outcomes have been studied

Where important evidence gaps remain

Whether quantitative synthesis is appropriate

How the evidence can support reimbursement, HTA, publication or further research

Why Medical Technology Reviews Require Specialist Expertise

Systematic reviews for medical devices and IVDs often involve methodological challenges that differ from those in pharmaceuticals.

The evidence base may include observational studies, case series, before-and-after studies and other non-randomized designs. Outcomes may be poorly standardized, and results may vary between device generations, operator experience and clinical settings.

MTRC combines evidence-synthesis methodology with an understanding of medical technologies, reimbursement, HTA and health economics.

Systematic Literature Review

For companies asking:

What does the complete published evidence show?

The work may include:

Review protocol
Search strategy development
Searches across appropriate databases
Title and abstract screening
Full-text screening
Data extraction
Study-characteristic tables
Quality or risk-of-bias assessment
Narrative evidence synthesis
PRISMA-compliant reporting
Reference library

Systematic Literature Review with Meta-Analysis

For companies asking:

Can the study results be combined quantitatively?

This solution includes the systematic literature review and, where methodologically appropriate:

Statistical pooling of results
Assessment of heterogeneity
Subgroup or sensitivity analyses
Forest plots and other statistical outputs
Interpretation of pooled estimates
Discussion of limitations and uncertainty

Publication Support

For companies planning to communicate the findings externally, MTRC can support the development of a journal manuscript, conference abstract or publication-ready evidence report.

How MTRC Works

Define the Research Question

We clarify the population, intervention, comparator, outcomes, study designs and intended use of the review.

Develop the Review Protocol

We define the databases, search strategy, inclusion criteria, screening approach, data extraction and quality-assessment methods.

Identify and Screen the Evidence

Relevant records are identified and screened using a structured and reproducible process.

Extract and Assess the Evidence

We extract the required data and assess study quality or risk of bias using appropriate methods.

Synthesize the Findings

We present the evidence through structured tables, narrative synthesis and, where appropriate, meta-analysis.

Interpret and Report the Results

We explain what the evidence shows, its limitations and how it may support the intended clinical, reimbursement, HTA or research objective.

Typical Review Questions

Depending on the objective, the review may examine

Clinical effectiveness
Safety
Diagnostic accuracy
Patient-reported outcomes
Quality of life
Healthcare-resource use
Costs and economic outcomes
Disease burden
Current treatment pathways
Epidemiology
Comparator performance
Clinical-guideline recommendations

Why MTRC

Evidence-Synthesis Expertise

MTRC’s Evidence Synthesis team has experience in systematic reviews, meta-analyses, evidence gap analyses and value dossiers.

MedTech and IVD Understanding

Our team understands the methodological issues associated with devices, diagnostics, procedures and evolving technology generations.

Rigorous and Transparent Methods

Our reviews use structured searches, predefined eligibility criteria, reproducible screening and PRISMA-compliant reporting.

Clinical and Market Access Perspective

We understand how evidence may be used by reimbursement authorities, payers, HTA bodies, clinicians and health economists.

Flexible Outputs

The results can support submissions, value dossiers, health economic models, internal evidence planning, conference presentations or peer-reviewed publication.

Discuss Your Evidence Synthesis Needs

Tell us about your research question, technology, intended audience and required timeline.

MTRC will recommend the most appropriate review methodology and scope.

Discuss Your Evidence Synthesis Needs

Build a Clear and Credible Evidence Base

When You May Need a Systematic Literature Review

Three Questions We Help You Answer

What Your Team Will Be Able to Understand

Why Medical Technology Reviews Require Specialist Expertise

Choose the Right Level of Support

How MTRC Works

Typical Review Questions

Why MTRC

Discuss Your Evidence Synthesis Needs