Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of NICE technology appraisals have been terminated in each year since 2019; and what assessment he has made of the reasons for these terminations.

The follow table shows the proportion of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisals that have been terminated in each year since 2019:

Source: NICE.

NICE is an independent body and my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has made no assessment of the reasons for the terminations of technology appraisals.

NICE strives to get the best care to patients fast, and to ensure value for the taxpayer. The aligned NICE and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency pathway, set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, will allow us to bring medicines to patients three to six months sooner. NICE continues to support and work with companies to identify the best time to submit appraisals and to ensure they have a clear understanding of NICE’s methods and processes, to try to avoid terminations.

Sometimes companies withdraw from the NICE appraisal process which means NICE cannot continue to evaluate the treatment. Companies can choose to do this for different reasons, including the treatment not being put forward at a cost-effective price, supply issues and incomplete evidence.