New Nice processes aim to improve access

Nice said the changes, which follow a regular review, demonstrate how it is evolving, and working with patients, industry, the NHS, healthcare professionals, and academics. From next month, its assessments will take account of patients’ lived experiences, and give greater weight to health benefits in severe disease and not just in end-of-life care.

Processes and principles for assessment of treatments for rare diseases will be simpler, making them more efficient, predictable, and transparent, Nice said. Where evidence is difficult to generate – such as conditions that affect children or rare diseases – there will be greater flexibility, allowing Nice’s independent committees to ‘consider uncertainty appropriately’ and manage risks to patients, while not erecting inappropriate barriers to potentially valuable innovations.

And there will be earlier engagement with stakeholders to allow patients to receive a treatment while data is being collected under so-called commercial or managed access proposals. There will be greater clarity on when Nice can make a managed access recommendation.

The process for choosing a technology for assessment has also been clarified, with Nice making it clear that selection can occur if the technology incurs costs, but has a clear value proposition; is cost neutral, but offers greater clinical effectiveness; or is cost saving.

Nice chief executive Gillian Leng (pictured) said: ‘Our vision at Nice is to be at the forefront of delivering access for patients in the NHS to valuable, evidence-based innovative medicines, medical devices and diagnostics. The changes that we are making will provide a robust foundation for our evaluations now and in the future and enable us to continue to lead the way in rapid, independent health technology assessments.’

She added: ‘In the short term, we will explore the impacts and benefits of the updated methods and processes. We need to ensure they are effectively implemented to realise the benefits for Nice, the NHS and the wider stakeholder community, as well as supporting the government’s wider vision for life sciences.’