Evidence-Informed Health Policy: using research to make health systems healthier

Abstract

Background: • Over the past two years there has been a great deal of international discussion about how to harness health research more effectively in order to achieve the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals as well as other national health goals in low- and middle-income countries. • Our objective was to identify organisations around the world, and especially in low- and middleincome countries, that are in some way successful or innovative in supporting the use of research evidence in the development of clinical practice guidelines, health technology assessments, and health policy, and to describe their experiences. Key messages from the report: • The study presents seven main implications for those establishing or administering organisations to produce clinical practice guidelines or health technology assessments, or organisations to support the use of research evidence in developing health policy: • 1. Collaborate with other organisations • 2. Establish strong links with policymakers and involve stakeholders in the work • 3. Be independent and manage conflicts of interest among those involved in the work • 4. Build capacity among those working in the organisation • 5. Use good methods and be transparent in the work • 6. Start small, have a clear audience and scope, and address important questions • 7. Be attentive to implementation considerations even if implementation is not a remit. • The study presents four main implications for the World Health Organisation and other international organisations: • 1. Support collaborations among organisations • 2. Support local adaptation efforts • 3. Mobilize support • 4. Create knowledge-related global public goods, including methods and evidence syntheses. Client: The report is prepared for the WHO Advisory Committee on Health Research. • Links to a Video Documentary Series about the cases described in the study are found in the appendix, page 104.