Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure an effective range of adjuvant treatment options for melanoma patients.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for producing evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on whether medicines represent a clinical and cost-effective use of resources. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended through a NICE appraisal.

Overall 82% of the recommendations in the technology appraisal guidance are positive - recommended, optimised, or recommended in the Cancer Drugs Fund - the percentage positive recommendations in melanoma treatments is higher at more than 92%.