For the past two years, I have acted as the Interim Director at The University of Queensland’s Centre for the Business and Economics of Health (CBEH). I also lead Health Technology Assessment for the Centre, which involves evaluating submissions made to the Australian Government to reimburse new medicines and medical devices through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). My research is focused on the economic evaluation of health interventions to inform decision making and promote value-based health care. I have pioneered the application of Value of Information (Research) analysis to enhance the efficiency of clinical trials and maximise the return on investment from medical research.

I have extensive experience working with key stakeholders including consumers, clinicians, decision makers and researchers. I am chief investigator on over $30 million Category 1 grants from the NHMRC, MRFF and ARC. In addition, I lead several projects for the Department of Health and other peak organisations.

I chair the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR)-Oncology Group, and I am the past chair of the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia's (COSA)-Epidemiology Group and the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance (ACTA)-Research Prioritisation Group. I am an Associate Editor for Value in Health, and an Editorial Board Member for Medical Decision Making and PharmacoEconomics-open journals.

Research interests

Health technology assessment: comprehensive assessment of the safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness of new health interventions.

Value of information analysis: estimating the health and monetary gain from conducting clinical trials and cohort studies.

Cancer economics: evaluating the health and economic impact of interventions for cancer prevention, early detection, management, and survivorship.

Research impact

My research has significantly influenced health policy in Australia and internationally and was pivotal in the allocation of almost $1 billion in new drugs and medical technologies in Australia over the past ten years. My research program about evaluating new health technologies using Value of Information/implementation analyses led to a paradigm shift in the economic evaluation of new interventions and improved patient access to health innovations (e.g., genetic testing, targeted therapies). My research shifted the way clinical trials are prioritised and funded towards a value-based approach, which informed the development of the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance Research Prioritisation Framework.

I have published over 100 peer reviewed articles and technical reports for leading organisations, including 45 technical reports for the Australian Government on the economic evaluation of novel drugs, devices and services for a range of conditions including cancer, genetic testing, cardiovascular disease and liver disease.

Contact

To find out how we can collaborate and bring value to your organisation, I can be contacted via:
 Email - h.tuffaha@uq.edu.au
Connect with Haitham on LinkedIn

Featured projects

Project titleFunding amountDuration
ARC Research Hub for Advanced Manufacture of Targeted Radiopharmaceuticals$5 million2023-2028
Medical Services Advisory Committee assessment unit
Commonwealth Department of Health
Confidential2023 - 2025
Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee assessment unit
Commonwealth Department of Health
Confidential2021 - 2025
Health economics analysis of animal plasma-derived antivenoms and antivenom distribution pathways for sub-Saharan Africa
World Health Organisation (WHO)
$180k2023-2024
Research Alliance for Value-Based Care in Interventional Radiology
Terumo and Stryker Australia Pty Ltd
$150k2022-2024
Prostate Cancer Survivorship Essentials for Men with Prostate Cancer on Androgen Deprivation Therapy: Transforming Care to Improve Outcomes
NHRMC Partnership
$2.5 million2021 - 2025
Enhancing treatment outcomes after gynaecological cancer (ACUMEN): Using exercise to promote health after cancer therapy
MRFF- Rare Cancers, Rare Diseases and Unmet need
$2.2m2020 - 2023