A REVIEW OF UTILITY VALUES IN NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH AND CARE EXCELLENCE (NICE) HEALTHTECH GUIDANCE
Author(s)
Xia Li, MSc1, Jacob Grant, PhD1, Ivan Maslyankov, BSc, MSc2.
1NICE, Manchester, United Kingdom, 2Senior HTA analyst, NICE, London, United Kingdom.
1NICE, Manchester, United Kingdom, 2Senior HTA analyst, NICE, London, United Kingdom.
OBJECTIVES: The NICE HealthTech programme produces guidance on non-drug technologies, including medical devices, digital and diagnostic technologies. This study aimed to review the instruments used to derive utility values in economic models developed for HealthTech assessments. Utility values reflect the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of a given health state and are used to calculate quality-adjusted life years, NICE’s preferred approach to expressing health effects.
METHODS: All HealthTech guidance published in 2025 that included an economic evaluation was reviewed. Data was extracted on the characteristics of the economic model, utility value sources, instruments used to obtain utility values, how those values were used, and whether quality of life was identified as a key issue or future research priority.
RESULTS: Seventeen HealthTech assessments were included. Thirteen assessments included modelling of health effects. In almost all of those (11/13 models), utility values were sourced from multiple published studies. For the remaining 2, all utility values were sourced from a single source and only one of these was a pivotal trial of the technology. The EQ-5D was the most used instrument to derive health state utilities (10/13 models), with one model using utilities derived with the CHU9D tool and the remaining 2 models only using disutilities with no reporting of the source. Where EQ-5D was used, the EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-5L were used in 7 and 3 cases, respectively. Where EQ-5D-5L was used, appropriate mapping using the Hernandez algorithm was reported in 2 cases, with no mapping reported in the remaining case. Committee members considered HRQoL a key issue in 6/17 assessments. However, in 10/17 assessments they recognised HRQoL as an area for future research.
CONCLUSIONS: Utility values used in NICE HealthTech assessments are sourced heterogeneously. The EQ-5D was the most commonly used instrument, consistent with the NICE reference case, with predominant use of the older EQ-5D-3L.
METHODS: All HealthTech guidance published in 2025 that included an economic evaluation was reviewed. Data was extracted on the characteristics of the economic model, utility value sources, instruments used to obtain utility values, how those values were used, and whether quality of life was identified as a key issue or future research priority.
RESULTS: Seventeen HealthTech assessments were included. Thirteen assessments included modelling of health effects. In almost all of those (11/13 models), utility values were sourced from multiple published studies. For the remaining 2, all utility values were sourced from a single source and only one of these was a pivotal trial of the technology. The EQ-5D was the most used instrument to derive health state utilities (10/13 models), with one model using utilities derived with the CHU9D tool and the remaining 2 models only using disutilities with no reporting of the source. Where EQ-5D was used, the EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-5L were used in 7 and 3 cases, respectively. Where EQ-5D-5L was used, appropriate mapping using the Hernandez algorithm was reported in 2 cases, with no mapping reported in the remaining case. Committee members considered HRQoL a key issue in 6/17 assessments. However, in 10/17 assessments they recognised HRQoL as an area for future research.
CONCLUSIONS: Utility values used in NICE HealthTech assessments are sourced heterogeneously. The EQ-5D was the most commonly used instrument, consistent with the NICE reference case, with predominant use of the older EQ-5D-3L.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
P9
Topic
Patient-Centered Research
Topic Subcategory
Health State Utilities
Disease
No Additional Disease & Conditions/Specialized Treatment Areas