Health technology assessments in England: an analysis of the NICE Medical Technologies Evaluation Programme

Excerpt

Many countries undertaking health technology assessments (HTAs) to inform decisions on the reimbursement of technologies focus solely on the analysis of pharmaceuticals [1, 2]. In the UK, the responsibility for undertaking HTAs falls mainly to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). NICE is an independent organisation whose role is to provide guidance on health technologies and clinical practice for the National Health Service (NHS) in England and Wales [3], and it is regarded as a world leader in the HTA field. In contrast to HTA bodies in most other countries, NICE has been given a wider remit to assess the full range of technologies (i.e. not just pharmaceuticals) [4]. There are difficulties present when assessing non-pharmaceutical health technologies, which can reduce the applicability of methods routinely used in the assessment of pharmaceuticals. Nevertheless, it is important not to undertake HTAs only on those technologies where the assessment process is straightforward, otherwise the allocation of resources between the different types of technology may be distorted by an imbalance in the information supporting decisions [2]. In order to overcome the aforementioned difficulties and ensure that the assessments of all forms of health technology are useful in decision-making, NICE has developed four appraisal programmes that are each overseen by a separate committee (technology appraisals, medical technologies, diagnostics and public health). …