Patient participation in health technology assessment (HTA) is an approach to HTA which aims to include patients in the process of HTA. It is sometimes called consumer or patient engagement or consumer or patient involvement, although in HTA the latter term has been defined to include research into patients' needs, preferences and experiences as well as participation per se.[14] In HTA, patient participation is also often used to include the participation of patient groups, patient advocates, and patients' families and carers in the process.[15]