OBJECTIVES: The UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides guidance and advice to improve health care in the UK. This study assessed the NICE Drug Technology Appraisals published in the period 2001-September 2014. METHODS: The list of NICE guidance, including published guidance, in development and consultations was extracted from NICE webpage. Descriptive statistics and chi-square were used in the analysis. RESULTS: In September 2014, NICE listed 994 guidance documents, including 246 technology appraisals (TA), of which 207 were drug TA. The drug TA assessed 158 different drugs, combinations, or drug classes. 75.8% of the drug TA evaluated was recommended by NICE in the National Health Service (NHS), however 17.0% of them were not recommended. NICE was unable to recommend them because no evidence submission was received from the drug sponsor in 7.2% of the TA. In 46.2% of the 91 TA published in 2010-Sep 2014 and recommended by NICE, the sponsor agreed a patient access scheme with the Department of Health to provide a confidential discount. The percentage of TA resulting in drugs with indications recommended by NICE decreased over time from 89.5% (n=49) in 2001-2004, to 71.7% (n=91) in 2005-2009, and 75.8% in 2010-September 2014 (p<0.001). There were six therapeutic classes with 10 or more TA: Cancer (68 TA, 57.4% recommended by NICE), blood and immune system conditions (27, 77.8%), cardiovascular conditions (20, 95.0%), musculoskeletal conditions (16, 81.3%), infections (11, 90.9%), and neurological conditions (10, 90.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Most of the TA resulted in a positive recommendation by NICE for using the drug in the NHS. Oncology and blood and immune system condition had the lowest percentage of TA resulting in a positive evaluation from NICE. Over 45% of the TA published after 2010 resulted in a confidential discount provided by the sponsor company to the NHS.