Medical Treatments: Innovation

(asked on 1st September 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NICE on the lessons that can be learned from its agility during the covid-19 outbreak in order to enable the rapid review of paused appraisals now that that activity has resumed; and what additional support he plans to provide to reduce further delays to patients in accessing new and innovative treatments.


Answered by
Jo Churchill Portrait
Jo Churchill
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This question was answered on 14th September 2020

Departmental Ministers and officials regularly discuss a range of matters with colleagues in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

NICE is using the lessons learned from developing rapid guidelines in response to COVID-19 to review how it produces and presents guidance, while maintaining its commitment to providing robust, evidence-based and independent advice. NICE remains committed to publishing final guidance for new medicines within 90 days of licensing.

NICE is also working with NHS England and NHS Improvement on the development of an Innovative Medicines Fund so that doctors can use the most advanced, life-saving treatments for conditions such as cancer or autoimmune disease, or for children with other rare diseases. NICE and NHS England and NHS Improvement plan to consult on the proposals toward the end of this year.

Reticulating Splines