NHS: Evidence-based Medicine

Lord Taverne Excerpts

Wednesday 10th October 2012 Lords Chamber

Asked By

[Lord Taverne]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will ensure that treatment provided by the National Health Service is founded on evidence-based medicine.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe)]

My Lords, evidence should be at the heart of modern medicine. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence develops authoritative, evidence-based guidance that we expect the National Health Service to take fully into account in its decision-making. However, it is ultimately the responsibility of clinicians to determine the most appropriate treatments to prescribe, in discussion with their patients and taking account of individual clinical circumstances.

[Lord Taverne]

My Lords, the Secretary of State has announced his support for homeopathy and his opposition to research into hybrid stem cells. He has also stirred up the abortion debate. Would the Minister perhaps persuade the Secretary of State to make a public reassuring statement that he will not use his position as head of the health service to promote the kind of anti-science views and primitive social attitudes which are normally associated with the American Tea Party?

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, I would expect that my right honourable friend the Secretary of State is well aware of the public comment on his recent statements, but he is entitled to his personal views. The Government’s position remains that it is the responsibility of local NHS organisations to make decisions on the commissioning and funding of healthcare treatments, such as homeopathy, for NHS patients.