By-Laws

The Swiss Network for Health Technology Assessment / SNHTA is an association according to Art. 60 - 79 of the Swiss Civil Code.

I. Aim and purpose

Art. 1

The purpose of the SNHTA is

  • to promote the pursuit of health technology assessment projects in Switzerland
  • to provide a forum for the identification and pursuit of common interests of the concerned institutions
  • to exchange and disseminate HTA-findings of such projects and promote their application in practice
  • to collaborate in European and international HTA networks and projects.

Ultimate aim of the SNHTA is to help to improve effectiveness, cost effectiveness and societal accountability of health care in Switzerland.

II. Membership

Art. 2

The SNHTA consists of the institutions involved in the preparation of the network. These institutions are listed in Appendix 1.

Art. 3

New applicants for membership must meet the following criteria: They must

  • be involved in HTA activities, i.e. conduct own HTA projects, review HTAs or disseminate HTA findings
  • share the ultimate aim of the SNHTA
  • be ready to provide a description of the origin of their resources and fundings

Art. 4

Institutions willling to join the network must submit, together with their application, a description of the institution. This document should enable the network members to assess if the applicant meets the criteria as listed in Art. 3.

Art. 5

Applications can be made at any time. They are voted upon the next SNHTA - Meeting.

Art. 6

Founding and new members must nominate a represenative who participates in the meetings of the network and a substitute from the same institution. Furthermore, they are expected

  • to disclose content and founding of HTA projects they are involved in,
  • to share reports of these projects (unless they are confidential), and
  • to report from any European and international activities as representatives of SNHTA.

III. Executive Board

Art. 7

The Executive Board of SNHTA consists of

  • the two Swiss delegates to the European Activities in the field,
  • the Network Coordinator,
  • the Secretary,
  • one representative of the member institutions.

Art. 8

The Executive Board prepares the meeting agendas, invites to the meetings, keeps and distributes the meeting's minutes.

Art. 9

The delegates to the European activities act as chairperson and co-chairperson. They are elected for a term of two years. They can be reelected twice.

Art. 10

The coordinator and the secretary act as interface between the SNHTA and other HTA-Networks, associations and projects, such as INAHTA, ECHTA. They are elected for a term of one year. They can be reelected.

Art. 11

The representatives of the member institutions replaces the chairman or co-chairman as ECHTA-delegate in case of hindrance. He/she is elected for a term of one year. He/she can be reelected.

IV. Meetings

Art. 12

Meetings are held as needed, but at least once a year. Each member can propose issues to be put on the meeting agenda. The proposals must reach the secretariat at least 4 weeks before the meeting. The secretariat invites to the meetings and distributes the agenda and background materials at least 3 weeks before the meeting.

Art. 13

The meetings are chaired by one of the two chairpersons. The meeting chairman/woman is nominated at the beginning of the meeting. Decisions are made on the basis of a majority vote of the member institutions represented at the meeting. The meeting chairman has the casting vote in case of parity of votes.

Art. 14

1/5 of the members can demand an extraordinary meeting. The Executive Board must, in this case, organize a meeting within 3 months after the receipt of the demand.

V. Membership fees

Art. 15

The SNHTA does not claim membership fees. Each member covers the costs of its SNHTA activities by its own.

Concluding Clause

The above bylaws of the Swiss Network on Health Technology Assessment have been approved by all founding members.

Berne, 15th of June 1999

SNHTA Co - Chair

 

Dr. Sergio Bellucci
Centre for TA at the SSTC

SNHTA Co - Chair

 

Dr. Pedro Koch
MTU of FSIOS

Appendix

Founding Members

Declaration of Participation