Social values on incorporation of technologies: what they think the participants of SUS.

Abstract

the survey had the objective to become aware of the opinion of the delegates from the 14th National Health Conference during the period of the 1st to the 4th of December, 2011. About the technology assessment criteria for the public health system in Brazil (SUS). A self-questionnaire survey was applied to all visitors at a Ministry of Health booth in the event. About 11.5% (502/4370) participants were covered by the survey. Of these, 43.6% represented citizens/patients; 33.6 % health professionals, 13.1% policymakers; 3.8% service providers and 5.9% others. The majority of them have participated in SUS social control for more than five years. Eleven of the pre-defined criteria for technology assessment on the questionnaire were put in a hierarchical order in the following manner: improved quality of life and patient survival (60%); evidence on the anticipated effects in prevention, diagnostics, treatment or rehabilitation (49%); evidence regarding safety for patient/user/consumer (46%); impact on the population’s health (43%); relationship between benefits/effects of the technology and the costs (40%). The criteria “costs for the health system” and “costs for patients” were in second to last and last place, respectively. The perspectives of patients/citizens and health professionals should be stimulated in order to support the application of the Law 12,401/2011, which establishes criteria for Incorporation of Health Technologies.