Health technology assessors

DHSC will fund £1bn increase in new medicines spending over next three years

In a letter to the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, science minister Lord Vallance said that despite the increased medicines spend, frontline healthcare services would “remain protected”.…

NHS England recommends extension of drug to treat non-metastatic prostate cancer

A new NHS clinical commissioning policy has given permission for abiraterone acetate to be prescribed off-label to men with high-risk, hormone sensitive, non-metastatic cancer.…

NICE recommends treatment that could help 30,000 people with COPD

Guidance says dupilumab can be offered as an add-on maintenance treatment for adults with uncontrolled COPD.…

NICE approves twice-yearly infusion that ‘significantly outperforms’ usual treatments for severe lupus

Guidance says obinutuzumab, taken with daily immunosuppressant tablet mycophenolate mofetil, could benefit around 12,000 people in England.…

MPs push for more details on VPAG and NICE threshold changes

The House of Commons Science Innovation and Technology Committee has asked the government for further clarification on what investment it plans to make into the ‘Voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing, access and growth’.…

Health news round-up: new NICE guidance, ‘online hospital’ and the environmental burden of medicines

A weekly summary of important developments in health news that you may have missed.…

NICE recommends new treatment for highly active relapsing multiple sclerosis

Natalizumab, a monoclonal antibody, can be used in its originator form as an injection or in a biosimilar form as an infusion.…

Select committee calls for clarity on funding for US–UK pharma trade deal

A letter from the House of Commons Science Innovation and Technology Committee has asked the government for more information on the cost of the US–UK pharmaceutical trade deal and whether existing NHS budgets will be affected.…

NICE medicines thresholds: what’s changing and where is the money coming from?

An insight into medicines spending and what changes can be expected from new National Institute for Health and Care Excellence cost-effectiveness thresholds.…

Health news round-up: haematology, mental health and pharmacogenomics

A weekly summary of important developments in health news that you may have missed.…