modeling in early stages of technology development: is an iterative approach needed?; comment on “problems and promises of health technologies: the role of early health economic modeling”

A recent paper by grutters et al makes the case for early health economic modeling in the development of health technologies. a number of examples of the value of early modeling are given, with analyses being performed at different stages in the development of several non-drug health technologies. this commentary acknowledges the contribution of the paper by grutters et al and argues for an iterative and integrated approach to early modeling, assessing the cost-effectiveness of the technology, the value of future research and the interaction with the manufacturer’s pricing and revenue expectations.