Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria have been established by NHS England to guide the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group in its evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of treatments for rare diseases.

The Rare Diseases Advisory Group considers the evaluation of all treatments for rare diseases and advises the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group (CPAG). The evidence base for treatments of rare diseases is often more limited than for more common conditions. Therefore, allowances are made for greater uncertainty. In some cases, formal evaluation of cost effectiveness may not be possible or helpful.

The decision making framework published on the NHS England website guides CPAG in assessing and making a commissioning position recommendation.

A copy of the CPAG Decision-Making Framework is attached.