Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance in May 2025 on supporting patients in accessing lateral flow tests for covid-19.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) updated its recommendations on the use of nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir for the treatment COVID‑19 in adults in May 2025. The update followed a decision by the company to set a new list price for nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir which meant that it is no longer a cost-effective treatment for people with diabetes, obesity, or heart failure, or for those aged 70 years old or over. Nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir continues to be recommended by NICE for people who have an increased risk for progression to severe COVID‑19 as defined in NICE’s guidance, at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta878/chapter/5-Supporting-information-on-risk-factors-for-progression-to-severe-COVID19

Rapid lateral flow tests for COVID-19 are available free of charge to people who are eligible for COVID-19 treatment as defined by NICE’s guidance.