Background and objectives of HTA

Abstract

On 9 July 1998 the Swiss government decided to include the five most important complementary medical disciplines – anthroposophic medicine, homeopathy, neural therapy, phytotherapy and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM, Chinese phytotherapy in particular) – into the list of services covered by the Swiss statutory health insurance (KLV). As a precondition for reimbursement the physician consulted had to be fully qualified and the time of coverage was limited to the period leading up to 30 June 2005. During this period, an evaluation of the specialities mentioned with regard to their ‘effectiveness, appropriateness and economy’ was to be prepared and put into practice as from 2003.