Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has held with NICE on the cost-flexibility effectiveness calculations for the treatment Spinraza.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an independent body and develops its technology appraisal recommendations in accordance with its published methods and processes, including consultation with stakeholders. The Department is a stakeholder in all NICE technology appraisals and has the opportunity to provide input at set points in the process, in common with other stakeholders.

NHS England and NICE have been in discussions with the manufacturer of Spinraza, Biogen, to explore whether there are commercial flexibilities that might enable NICE to recommend the drug as a clinically and cost-effective use of National Health Service resources. Biogen has now submitted a revised submission and a meeting of NICE’s independent appraisal committee has been arranged for 6 March 2019 to consider the recommendations.