Adopting a Societal Perspective in Health-Economic Evaluation: Analysis of Nine HTA Methodological Guidelines on How to Integrate Societal Costs

This preliminary work highlights the need for explicit methodological guidance on societal cost estimation within HTA. HTA bodies could draw on the Netherland's guidelines and cost database and develop a national "societal perspective doctrine"-including core cost sets, standardized measurement tools (e.g., iPCQ; diary methods), and structured involvement of patients and caregivers-to enhance comparability and decision relevance.