News

Systematic reviews play an increasingly important role in healthcare policy and governance

Health technology assessments are no longer limited to assessing specific interventions. Internationally, they are increasingly viewed as a strategic process for converting evidence into policy.

New training module for patient representatives in Sweden on the HTA regulation released

A new online training module on the HTA Regulation (HTAR) is now available. Developed by SBU in collaboration with EUPATI Sweden, it is primarily aimed at Swedish patient representatives who want to contribute to the HTAR process. HTAR is an EU regulation that enables joint assessments of new medicines and certain advanced medical devices across EU member states.

Evidence reports on post-COVID condition

These reports and evidence summaries have been produced by SBU as part of government assignments on post-COVID condition (long covid). The reports cover a variety of topics, such as physical exercise and other treatment and rehabilitation modalities, vaccination, and other issues relevant to the healthcare and support of individuals with post-COVID condition.

Workplace harassment, and violence or threats and its associations with mental ill health

SBU has conducted an umbrella review based on 19 systematic reviews that were published between 2015 and 2025. These systematic reviews examined associations between workplace bullying, sexual harassment, or discrimination, as well as threats and violence, and mental ill health outcomes. The outcomes include symptoms of depression, anxiety, burnout, and PTSD.

Interventions to strengthen foster family care

Certain interventions to strengthen foster family care may have positive effects for children in care. Promising results include improved mental health and attachment security, as well as reduced serious behavior problems, such as fewer days spent in locked units.

Diagnostics of ovarian cancer; test accuracy of algorithm-based diagnostics in cases of suspected ovarian cancer

SBU assessed six algorithms (SR, PR, RMI, ROMA, ADNEX, LR21) for the evaluation of pre-operative ovarian cancer risk. The most frequently used algorithms in Sweden are PR and SR. General finding: SR and PR demonstrated comparable diagnostic accuracy to most alternatives for the whole population.

Interventions to prevent and reduce coercive measures in psychiatric care and residential care for children and young people

Interventions targeting organisational culture and staff practice may reduce coercive measures (restraint and seclusion) in child and adolescent psychiatric care as well as in residential care.

Interventions to Promote Health Literacy in Children, Adolescents and Supporting A

In total 18 systematic reviews (SR) with moderate or low risk of bias, which examined a range of interventions intended to promote health literacy among children, adolescents and supporting adults, were identified. The overall evidence base is constrained by methodological limitations, inconsistent outcome measures and substantial variation in intervention content. Important research gaps remain, particularly concerning younger children, critical health literacy, and digital media and health.

SBU receives its first EU-level clinical assessment assignment for a medicinal product

On the 20th of October 2025, SBU was assigned its first task as co-assessor within the EU collaboration for joint clinical assessments of medicinal products and medical devices. The assessment concerns a new medicinal product for the treatment of ovarian cancer and will be carried out together with Infarmed, the Portuguese authority for medicines and health products.

Newborn screening for Metachromatic Leukodystrophy

There is insufficient evidence to evaluate the accuracy of a screening test for metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) in newborns. Likewise, there is insufficient evidence to determine the efficacy of gene therapy using autologous stem cells to treat MLD.