MSc International Health Technology Assessment, Pricing and Reimbursement (IHTA P&R)

Professor Ron Akehurst - Course Director and Professor of Health Economics

Ron Akehurst is a Professor of Health Economics at The University of Sheffield. Ron holds his Chair in ScHARR, one of the world’s leading centres for Health Services Research with in excess of 200 staff. Professor Akehurst stepped down as Dean of ScHARR in 2010, having founded and run the School for 17 years. His academic interests are primarily in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and he has published widely in that area, contributing to the development of methods of HTA. In addition he has carried out research and conducted HTAs in many different therapeutic areas. He has had some involvement in developing HTA processes in other countries, including Hungary and Korea.

Ron was a founding member of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) Appraisal Committee, serving on it for 7 years; served on the NICE Topic Selection Committee; the NICE Public Health Interventions Advisory Committee and is currently a member of the NICE Diagnostics Advisory Committee. He is also a member of the Advisory Group on National Specialised Services (AGNSS) which advises the Secretary of State for Health on organisation of services for people with very rare conditions. Past activities include a 2 year period as an Economic Advisor in the Department of Health, a five year period as economic advisor to North Western Regional Health Authority, seven years as founding Director of the York Health Economics Consortium and three years as a Specialist Advisor to the House of Commons Health Select Committee. Ron spent 3 years as a Non-Executive Director of Rotherham Health Authority, responsible for commissioning Health Services.

Ron has been providing consulting services to many pharmaceutical and devices companies since 1984. This has involved supporting early stage decisions on whether to kill products; developing strategies for evidence development as well as preparing cost effectiveness cases. He has been involved in preparing HTA submissions to many bodies, including NICE, SMC, TLV, PBAC and CADTH. He has also advised companies on developing their in house HEOR capabilities.

Dr Chris Carroll - Course Director and Senior Lecturer in Health Technology Assessment

Chris has over 7 years of teaching and research experience in health technology assessment and online learning. He is lead or co-author on 8 published HTAs and is currently principal or co-investigator on another 4 technology assessments. He leads the unit Systematic review and evidence synthesis: Principles, and contributes to the units on International Healthcare Systems and Reimbursement, and Systematic review and evidence synthesis: Applications.

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