Using Real-World Evidence for Health Technology Assessment in Asia: Suggested Typology and Scoping Review

Objectives: This study aimed to provide the typology of real-world evidence (RWE) and challenges associated with improving the use of RWE in Asian countries.

Methods: This article is divided into 2 subsections. First, a narrative review was conducted to classify RWE based on available real-world data. This method was also used to develop a typology of RWE, particularly considering the nature of the data, the potential evidence generated, and the integration methods into health technology assessment (HTA). Finally, a scoping review was undertaken to identify and filter studies focusing on the implementation of RWE in Asia.

Results: The use of RWE is associated with many caveats, and therefore, its use in Asia is particularly limited. Based on the narrative review, RWE is divided into 3 broad categories: macro-, meso-, and micro-RWE; each represents a different quality of evidence and range of use as evidence for HTA. Although typology helps with consolidating RWE choices for supporting HTA decision making, challenges still persist in using it for HTA purposes. Institutional support, technical capacity, and infrastructure, including data-related issues, may hinder progress in improving the RWE ecosystem for HTA in Asia.

Conclusions: RWE is a helpful tool that can assist in decision making, especially in reimbursement-related decisions. Although knowing facets of RWE helps in choosing appropriate evidence to assist in policy making, challenges associated with its implementation, especially in the Asian context, need to be anticipated.