Press release below from NICE on a new rapid procedure to provide guidance on the use of new drugs
Best wishes
David McDaid
LSE Health and Social Care
NICE is now in discussion with the Department of Health over proposals for a revised process allowing more rapid appraisal of important new drugs and health technologies. In selected cases, this would allow NICE to issue guidance shortly after a drug becomes available for use in the NHS.
http://www.nice.org.uk/pdf/2005_021_NICE_plans_faster_drugs_guidance.pdf
At a meeting on 21 September the NICE Board considered proposals for the more rapid development of advice to the NHS on important new drugs and health technologies. These proposals have today been submitted to the Department of Health for urgent discussion prior to a final decision on their adoption.
NICE is very conscious of its role in ensuring that the NHS has timely, good quality guidance when a new medicine is licensed for use in the UK, and fully understands the importance of this issue to patients and healthcare professionals.
Andrew Dillon, Chief Executive of NICE said: "We have listened to what patients and healthcare professionals have told us about the need for timely advice on the use of new medicines, particularly for life-threatening conditions such as cancer. We have responded by proposing a new, streamlined process for single drugs, and we think these proposals can make a real difference."
|