Following publication of consultation on NICE’s methods for health technology evaluation, which the organisation has been undergoing a review of, The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has welcomed the changes and the impacts they could have for the UK, it’s pharma industry and patients.
Driven by a desire to ensure access to the newest medicines by NHS patients at an affordable and firmly agreed pricing, the NICE processes dictate what medicines and treatments are and are not recommended for use within the health service.
In response to the consultation, Chief Executive of the ABPI, Richard Torbett, said: “The proposals set out in the consultation are a positive first step towards more NHS patients benefitting from the very latest medicines.
The consultation period will run until December 18, 2020, based around guaranteeing rapid access to clinically and cost effective health technologies for patients and their families, as well as supporting the NHS and life sciences industry.
Review of the current NICE methodology has come about to ensure that it remains as robust as possible in an ever-advancing modern world.
In particular, NICE have identified the following three areas as key topics of interest within the consultation:
- Our proposals
- How we’ve taken the evidence and considerations into account
- Any potential effects and implications
"The changes outlined can also act as a catalyst for global investment, with the UK demonstrating its commitment to researching, developing and using new medicines and technologies.
"Implementation is also fully affordable due to voluntary scheme, which pharmaceutical companies are signed up to, and means that NHS spend on medicines is kept to an agreed and affordable level. We will work our membership on the next stage of the consultation.”
