NICE faces inquiry by Commons group
The Commons health committee has announced terms of reference for a broad inquiry into the work of NICE, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. The committee said it wanted to examine "why Nice's decisions are increasingly being challenged" after recent controversial recommendations that the NHS should not use certain costly cancer drugs and should restrict the use of drugs to treat Alzheimer's to those with moderate forms of the disease.
The committee said it wanted to know "whether public confidence in the institute is waning, and if so why", and said it would be looking at both Nice's evaluation process and the appeal system.
At the same time it will compare the work of Nice with that of the body that is roughly its Scottish equivalent. In some cases the latter has approved treatments that Nice has rejected.
The pharmaceutical industry's concerns that the NHS fails fully to implement Nice's recommendations when it does back new treatments and procedures will also be addressed.
The committee said it wanted to look at "which guidance is acted on, which is not and the reasons for this".
Nice is currently facing a judicial review backed by pharmaceutical companies and the Alzheimer's Society over its decision on Alzheimer's products.
The society said yesterday that the inquiry "should put a long-overdue spotlight on Nice's methods" and the "glaring absence" of an independent appeals process.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/659096bc-b32b-11db-99ca-0000779e2340.html
The Commons health committee's whilst welcomed by Health Direct is long overdue.
On Fri 17 Nov 06 we noted that the Drugs watchdog faces legal review- NICE's approach is irrational and flawed when a decision by the Labour government's drugs watchdog to restrict the use by the NHS of Alzheimer's medication is to be challenged in court. Two drug companies plan to apply for a judicial review of the way the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence reached its conclusion. NICE ruled NHS patients with newly diagnosed, mild Alzheimer's disease should not be prescribed the drugs.
Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, said: "This blatant cost-cutting will rob people of priceless time early in the disease and later clinicians will have no choice but to use dangerous sedatives that increase the risk of heart disease and stroke."
He said there had been "fundamental flaws" in NICE's appraisal process, and called on the government to step in.
Jonathan Ellis, senior policy manager at the charity, added: "It cannot be right to allow the health of thousands of older people to deteriorate on the altar of cost.
"On the one hand, the labour government says it is committed to improving care for older people, while on the other NICE is blocking access to treatment which would help them retain their independence and dignity. This is botched policy making at its worst."
The committee said it wanted to know "whether public confidence in the institute is waning, and if so why", and said it would be looking at both Nice's evaluation process and the appeal system.
At the same time it will compare the work of Nice with that of the body that is roughly its Scottish equivalent. In some cases the latter has approved treatments that Nice has rejected.
The pharmaceutical industry's concerns that the NHS fails fully to implement Nice's recommendations when it does back new treatments and procedures will also be addressed.
The committee said it wanted to look at "which guidance is acted on, which is not and the reasons for this".
Nice is currently facing a judicial review backed by pharmaceutical companies and the Alzheimer's Society over its decision on Alzheimer's products.
The society said yesterday that the inquiry "should put a long-overdue spotlight on Nice's methods" and the "glaring absence" of an independent appeals process.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/659096bc-b32b-11db-99ca-0000779e2340.html
The Commons health committee's whilst welcomed by Health Direct is long overdue.
On Fri 17 Nov 06 we noted that the Drugs watchdog faces legal review- NICE's approach is irrational and flawed when a decision by the Labour government's drugs watchdog to restrict the use by the NHS of Alzheimer's medication is to be challenged in court. Two drug companies plan to apply for a judicial review of the way the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence reached its conclusion. NICE ruled NHS patients with newly diagnosed, mild Alzheimer's disease should not be prescribed the drugs.
Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, said: "This blatant cost-cutting will rob people of priceless time early in the disease and later clinicians will have no choice but to use dangerous sedatives that increase the risk of heart disease and stroke."
He said there had been "fundamental flaws" in NICE's appraisal process, and called on the government to step in.
Jonathan Ellis, senior policy manager at the charity, added: "It cannot be right to allow the health of thousands of older people to deteriorate on the altar of cost.
"On the one hand, the labour government says it is committed to improving care for older people, while on the other NICE is blocking access to treatment which would help them retain their independence and dignity. This is botched policy making at its worst."
Labels: Alzheimers, health, Killer Quango, labour, NICE, NICE blight, red tape
posted by Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic at
4:21 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home