Are Health Technology Assessments Good or Evil or is this the Wrong Question?

Often the perspective from industry on health technology assessments is that they are more-or-less evil (on a scale of good to evil).   I was surprised by the high quality, assemblage of facts, and overall astute viewpoint provided by a new 30 page white paper that can be downloaded from The Economist on value based healthcare and its implications for the global drug industry.   (Free with registration).

Is the FDA too slack or too tight?

Is the FDA too lenient or too strict?  Controlling safety or stifling innovation?

This question never goes away.   A few years ago there was a flurry of activity, both inside and outside the FDA, on the condition of, and prospects for reform of, the 510(k) device regulation pathway.   The IOM held a 2010 workshop,  followed by a 2011 report offering a "35 year perspective," and then the FDA held a public meeting (with a 134 page transcript) on the latter IOM report.