Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - The Cotswolds)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library (a) agendas and (b) minutes of meetings of the NHS England Industry Council; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by George Freeman
The Industry Council was established by NHS England in late 2013 to build a more effective and mutually beneficial relationship with the life sciences industry. The Council met three times in 2014.
Given the informal networking nature of the meetings, we understand that minutes were not taken. Outline programmes were however prepared in advance, detailing the speakers and areas of work to be covered, and these are attached.
NHS England is an independent body which determines its own arrangements for liaison with its stakeholders. NHS England continues to support formal engagement with industry through Department of Health led forums including the Ministerial Industry Strategy Group and the Ministerial Medical Technology Strategy Group.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - The Cotswolds)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans next to publish a report on international comparisons of medicines usage; at what frequency he will publish such reports; what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the most recently published report; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by George Freeman
International comparisons of medicines usage are included in the annual publication of the life science competitiveness indicators. This report is published annually, it was last published in March 2015, and the next publication will be inMarch 2016. This provides comparisons of the usage of innovative National Institute for Health and Care Excellence approved medicines per head of the population, over time. It does not make adjustments for the prices of medicines and the level of expenditure on medicines in different countries or the financial sustainability of different levels of uptake.
The Accelerated Access Review (AAR) is looking at ways to revolutionise the speed at which 21st century innovations in medicines, medical technologies and digital products get to National Health Service patients and their families. As part of the AAR, RAND Europe completed a piece of work to explore learning from international comparators on how to accelerate access to innovative drugs and medical technologies. This informed much of our early stakeholder engagement and scoping work. The AAR has commissioned a further piece of research to look at best practice international funding and reimbursement models, including testing how these could be applicable to this country’s health and care system.
Link to competitiveness indicators March 2015 publication:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/life-science-sector-data
RAND Europe – Improving Access to Medical Technologies – An International Review:
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - The Cotswolds)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the timescale is on the rollout of the Meningitis B Bexsero Vaccine; what recent discussions he has had on making this vaccine available to teenage student groups; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The national meningococcal B (MenB) immunisation programme for infants is planned to start in England in September 2015. We will be confirming details shortly.
The Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has not recommended the use of MenB vaccine in other age groups. However, JCVI did advise that further research is needed into the effectiveness of the MenB vaccine, Bexsero® in preventing transmission of infection in adolescents. The Department is working with JCVI, Public Health England and groups currently conducting research into meningococcal carriage, to address JCVI’s advice.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - The Cotswolds)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will provide an update of his Department's negotiations with Novartis on finding a cost-effective price for the Bexsero vaccine; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The Department is continuing negotiations with the manufacturer to seek supply of the meningococcal B vaccine, Bexsero® at a cost effective price as recommended by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. These negotiations will be completed as soon as practicable.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - The Cotswolds)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on studies which have been carried out on the efficacy of the drug pemetrexed; if his Department will again make that drug available on the NHS; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by George Freeman
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for providing advice to the NHS on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of health technologies. It has published guidance on Pemetrexed for types of lung cancer, and recommends its use to some patients based on certain clinical criteria.
There is a legal requirement on the National Health Service to provide funding for treatments and drugs recommended by NICE technology appraisal guidance within three months of the NICE technology appraisal guidance being published.