Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will take steps to reduce the time taken to approve for use drugs for the treatment of rare conditions and diseases; and if he will make a statement.

The Government is committed to improving the lives of those affected by rare diseases and the United Kingdom is a recognised leader in the research, treatment and care for rare diseases.

Through its technology appraisal programme, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) develops authoritative, evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on whether drugs and treatments referred to it by Ministers represent a clinically and cost effective use of NHS resources. NHS commissioners are legally required to fund drugs and treatments recommended by NICE within three months of the publication of final guidance. Wherever possible, NICE aims to issue technology appraisal guidance on the use of a drug close to the time of licensing. Where NICE guidance is not available, it is for NHS commissioners to take funding decisions based on an assessment of the available evidence.

The Accelerated Access Review will make recommendations to the Government on reforms to accelerate access for NHS patients, including those with rare diseases, to ensure they can access effective and innovative treatments as early as possible in a way that represents value to the NHS.