IQWiG is an independent, scientific institute. Consequently, no interest group can influence the results of reports produced by the Institute.
Who commissions IQWiG?
IQWiG may only accept commissions from the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) or from the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG). The G-BA is the supreme decision-making committee of the self-governing administration in health care and decides, for example, which medical services are to be borne by the statutory health insurance funds. The results of the G-BA's commissions are published as "reports" or as "rapid reports".
However, the Institute can also tackle issues of fundamental importance on its own initiative. For this purpose it was awarded a general commission by the Federal Joint Committee in 2004. Results of these projects are published as a working paper.
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How does IQWiG operate?
One of IQWiG's responsibilities is the statutory commission to assess the advantages and disadvantages of medical procedures, for example, to compare different drugs or surgical procedures with each other. The Institute's scientific staff conduct a systematic search in the international scientific literature for studies in which the comparisons sought are described.
It is important to note that IQWiG does not carry out its own clinical trials with patients. What the Institute does is to systematically search the available studies for those which provide sufficiently reliable results. IQWiG then produces a synthesized benefit analysis from these results.
The scientists use the methods of evidence-based medicine for selecting and assessing the studies. Using these international standard methods, it is possible to estimate how reliable the available knowledge actually is.
More on Work procedures and the methodological foundations
Who finances IQWiG?
IQWiG is financed through levies for inpatient and outpatient medical treatment, in other words, ultimately through the contributions from the members of all statutory health insurance funds (GKV). The G-BA fixes the amount of levy every year.
Does IQWiG decide on health insurance contributions?
No. The Institute produces reports on the benefit of medical interventions. Providing the reports have been commissioned by the G-BA, they contain a recommendation in the form of a conclusion for the G-BA on whether a(n) (additional) benefit exists. Furthermore, the Institute can receive a commission to examine whether this additional benefit justifies the costs and submit a recommendation on that to the G-BA as well. However, IQWiG does not make the decision as to whether the costs of a service should be reimbursed by the health insurance funds. Only the G-BA makes this decision.
