Pharmaceutical Regulation- The Early Experience of the NHS National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) Appraisal Process—Where Are We Headed? Presented at the ISPOR 5th Annual International Meeting, Crystal City, VA, 24 May 2000
Abstract
Introduction
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) was established on the 1st April 1999 as one of a number of new quality initiatives within the UK National Health Service (NHS) [1]. The aims of NICE are both ambitious and far-reaching, i.e., to promote clinical excellence and the effective use of available resources in the NHS in England and Wales through:
• development of guidelines for the management of certain diseases;
• auditing of methodologies and enabling the dissemination of these to support frontline healthcare staff and patients; and
• appraisal of the appropriate use of specific health technologies (including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostic techniques, procedures and health promotion) [2].
This paper will describe the NICE technology appraisal process and discuss some of the key issues that have arisen over its first 12 months of existence (Table 1).
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) was established on the 1st April 1999 as one of a number of new quality initiatives within the UK National Health Service (NHS) [1]. The aims of NICE are both ambitious and far-reaching, i.e., to promote clinical excellence and the effective use of available resources in the NHS in England and Wales through:
• development of guidelines for the management of certain diseases;
• auditing of methodologies and enabling the dissemination of these to support frontline healthcare staff and patients; and
• appraisal of the appropriate use of specific health technologies (including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostic techniques, procedures and health promotion) [2].
This paper will describe the NICE technology appraisal process and discuss some of the key issues that have arisen over its first 12 months of existence (Table 1).
Authors
Rod Taylor