Preparing effective systematic literature reviews and indirect treatment comparisons for joint clinical assessment (JCA)
As the EU Health Technology Assessment Regulation (EU HTAR) moves through its first full year of implementation, developers are adapting to new evidence requirements under the Joint Clinical Assessment (JCA). With harmonized, but still evolving, requirements for systematic literature reviews (SLRs) and indirect treatment comparisons (ITCs), teams are being asked to meet a new bar for methodological rigor, transparency, and alignment with diverse Member State expectations.
In their ISPOR Europe 2025 presentation, Caroline von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, Paulina Bajko, Eva Gonzalez Viana, and Sohan Deshpande from PPD™ Evidera™ Health Economics & Market Access team, Thermo Fisher Scientific offer timely guidance on how teams can navigate JCA requirements. Drawing on recent experience, they highlight practical lessons for designing compliant SLRs, performing credible ITCs, and planning robust submissions.
From understanding PICOs that differ across Member States, to managing the 3-month cut-off, to preparing for multiple indirect comparisons across varied treatment landscapes, their insights shed light on what it takes to build a robust JCA evidence package. The authors also underscore the rising importance of early PICO prediction exercises, the value of cross-functional collaboration, and the growing need for automation as evidence demands expand. As the JCA process matures – and as submissions begin to reveal real-world interpretations of the regulation – manufacturers will need to remain agile. Whether refining search strategies, adopting new analytical tools, or engaging earlier with HTA bodies, evidence teams that adapt now will be best positioned for future success.
Interviewees
Caroline von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, PhD
Research Scientist, Evidence Synthesis, PPD™ Evidera™ Health Economics & Market Access, Thermo Fisher Scientific
Caroline von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff is a market access consultant, with experience in a variety of different disease areas. She is a principal investigator, responsible for leading targeted literature reviews, SLRs, NMA feasibility studies, and evidence reviews. Caroline has a special interest in evidence synthesis for JCA, targeted review methodology, and implementation of AI in literature reviews. She works with other researchers to develop their skills in medical writing, evidence synthesis, communication, and presentation skills. Caroline has a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) focused on Science, Engineering and Technology.
Paulina Bajko, PhD
Research Associate, Evidence Synthesis, PPD™ Evidera™ Health Economics & Market Access, Thermo Fisher Scientific
Paulina Bajko is an evidence synthesis specialist with experience across a range of therapeutic areas. She is a research associate supporting targeted, SLRs, and feasibility assessments. Paulina has a special interest in evidence synthesis methodology and best practices in medical writing and research communication. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) focused on biomolecular science.
Eva Gonzalez Viana, MSc
Research Associate, Evidence Synthesis, PPD™ Evidera™ Health Economics & Market Access, Thermo Fisher Scientific
Eva Gonzalez Viana is a researcher specializing in evidence synthesis and critical appraisal, with expertise in generating and evaluating clinical and real-world evidence to support healthcare decision-making and regulatory assessments. Eva’s interests include methodological adaption in evidence synthesis, transparency in research, and communicating evidence for real-world impact. Eva holds a Master of Science (MSc) focused on advancing research and clinical skills to evaluate, design, and implement evidence-based health interventions.
Sohan Deshpande, MSc, M-Tech
Evidence Synthesis Lead, PPD™ Evidera™ Health Economics & Market Access, Thermo Fisher Scientific
Sohan Deshpande leads a global team responsible for designing and delivering systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and evidence synthesis to support health technology assessments, market access, and reimbursement strategies. Sohan has extensive experience in evidence-based medicine and health outcomes research, with expertise spanning direct and indirect meta-analyses, network meta-analyses, and burden-of-disease assessments across multiple therapeutic areas.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank Katarzyna Borkowska and Iwona Pustulka in the PPD Evidera Health Economics & Market Access team at Thermo Fisher Scientific, for their initial research contributions that provided valuable insights for the work presented here. We would also like to thank Marissa Betts and Kyle Fahrbach of PPD Evidera Health Economics & Market Access, Thermo Fisher Scientific, for their advisory contributions with respect to the ITC components of this poster. Thank you also to Chris Gardner of PPD Evidera Health Economics & Market Access, Thermo Fisher Scientific, for providing input on the PICO prediction process. Editorial and graphic design support were provided by Caroline Cole and Richard Leason of Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Disclaimers
All authors are employees of PPD Evidera Health Economics & Market Access, Thermo Fisher Scientific. This poster was funded by Thermo Fisher Scientific. The opinions expressed in this feature are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Evidence Base® or Becaris Publishing Ltd.
Sponsorship for this Peek Behind the Poster was provided by Thermo Fisher Scientific.