Response to discussant comments on "NMA, the first 20 years"

Res Synth Methods. 2024 Sep;15(5):751-757. doi: 10.1002/jrsm.1745. Epub 2024 Jul 26.

Abstract

We respond to discussant comments on our paper "Twenty years of network meta-analysis: Continuing controversies and recent developments" (https://doi.org/10.1002/jrsm.1700) and raise some additional points for consideration, including: the way in which methodological guidance is generated; integration of the estimand framework with evidence synthesis; and implications of the European Joint Clinical Assessment. We ask: what properties are required of population adjustment methods to enable transparent and consistent decision-making? We also ask why individual patient data is not routinely made available to re-imbursement authorities and clinical guideline developers.

Keywords: decision making; estimand framework; network meta‐analysis; population‐adjustment; uncertainty.

MeSH terms

  • Decision Making
  • Europe
  • Evidence-Based Medicine*
  • Humans
  • Models, Statistical
  • Network Meta-Analysis
  • Research Design