Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what (a) pharmacological treatments and (b) associated indications the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has recommended against in (i) 2012, (ii) 2013 and (iii) 2014.

Information on National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisal recommendations relating to cancer treatments published in 2012, 2013, and 2014, including the estimated size of the eligible patient population and the applicability of the end-of-life flexibilities, is provided in the attached table.

NICE has advised that it publishes a list on its website that includes information on its technology appraisal decisions on cancer treatments. The list, which is updated monthly, includes each appraisal number, year of publication, the appraisal process used, name ofthe technology, the disease or condition for which it has been appraised, the recommendation category and any comments. This information can be found at:

www.nice.org.uk/newsroom/nicestatistics/TADecisions.jsp?domedia=1&mid=CB611E43-19B9-E0B5-D471DEC569F73B12.

NICE does not operate a fixed cost per quality-adjusted life year threshold in its appraisals, but uses a range that allows other factors to be taken into account in deciding whether to recommend a treatment. We are advised that the most likely cost-effectiveness estimate, given as an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, is published on the NICE website and can be found in the ‘Summary of the Appraisal Committee's key conclusions' table within section four of each appraisal's final technology appraisal guidance documents. The same section of this document also sets out whether a treatment was considered under end-of-life criteria. Further information can be found at:

www.nice.org.uk