Health Technology Assessment HTA has in many countries become an integral part of health policy decision-making. The first step in the HTA process is the synthesis of available research evidence on the topic in question and the assessment of the evidence’s quality. The ensuing second step, the appraisal of the evidence’s impact and applicability for a specific context, is equally important. The focus of this working paper is therefore on the process and the guiding principles of appraising evidence. Appraisal committees, sometimes called policy committees, work where research and policy meet. Appraisal committees facilitate the life of decision makers in health policy by translating research results into political recommendations. Appraisal committees draw up alternative scenarios and present arguments and counter arguments. They do not replace the integration of stakeholders, though, nor do they curb the responsibility of elected political representatives for the ultimately taken health policy decision.

This working paper presents 11 appraisal committees from 7 countries – United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, USA, Australia – and condenses their experience into recommendations. An appraisal committee set up in line with these examples of good-practice may serve as an important building block for transparent and evidence-based decision making in health policy.