30-07-2025
Putrajaya to bolster health technology assessment with new website, AI tools, frameworks
KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 — Malaysia has launched six new initiatives to embed evidence-based healthcare, expand digital tools, and improve patient-focused services, as part of efforts to strengthen health policy and delivery, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said today.
Led by the Malaysian Health Technology Assessment Section (MaHTAS), these initiatives represent a major step forward in embedding evidence-based practices across all levels of the healthcare system.
'These initiatives will not only deepen the use of evidence in clinical and policy settings but also foster cross-sector collaboration and position Malaysia at the forefront of health innovation,' Dzulkefly said in his speech at the National Health Technology Assessment Conference 2025 here.
According to Dzulkefly, the six initiatives designed to modernise Malaysia's healthcare evaluation and delivery include:
MyMaHTAS website: A redesigned digital platform offering easy access to HTA reports, Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs), and other tools for clinicians, researchers, and policymakers.
Guide to Using Real-World Evidence (RWE): Explains how data from electronic medical records and observational studies can complement clinical trials to generate practical, localised health insights.
Public Health Intervention Framework: A new tool to support more comprehensive evaluations of public health programmes by factoring in broader elements like equity and societal benefit.
MaHTAS Assessment Framework for Digital Health Technology (DHT): Ensures rigorous, locally relevant evaluations of digital innovations such as mobile apps, telehealth platforms, and AI-powered tools.
Ask CPG Platform: An AI-powered platform providing clinicians with real-time, point-of-care access to MaHTAS-developed clinical guidelines to support better decision-making.
White Paper on Enhancing Medical Device Assessment: Outlines seven strategic actions to align medical device evaluations with value-based healthcare principles.
Dzulkefly also said he wanted MaHTAS to evolve into a recognised Centre of Excellence, similar to international counterparts like the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
He noted that NICE was established years after MaHTAS yet is now internationally acknowledged.
'I want Malaysia to move in the same direction,' he said, tasking the ministry's top leadership with driving this effort.
'My role is to provide the vision and direction, while the secretary-General will facilitate and coordinate the necessary implementation processes to realise this aspiration,' he added.
