Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the publication of the NICE draft guidance on atezolizumab with nab-paclitaxel for certain breast cancer patients on 3 October 2019, what the timetable is for (a) a second committee meeting and (b) issuing final guidance on that drug.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has advised that it does not yet have a confirmed date for the second appraisal committee meeting or for the publication of final guidance.

Under NICE’s processes, if the outcome of the committee meeting is the publication of a final appraisal document, final guidance would be expected 80 days later, unless NICE receives an appeal against the document.

NICE’s appraisal is currently delayed while commercial discussions between the company, NHS England and Roche, are ongoing. NICE will aim to publish its guidance on the use of atezolizumab as soon as possible following the completion of commercial discussions.