Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of NICE bringing forward proposals to support the introduction of next generation of Evusheld to offer protection against covid-19 for those people for whom traditional covid-19 vaccines offer limited or no protection.

No assessment has been made.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. NICE’s guidance is developed by experts based on a thorough assessment of the available evidence and through extensive engagement with stakeholders. NICE is only able to appraise medicines in relation to the conditions they have been licensed for. NICE’s technology appraisal process usually takes approximately nine months. The appraisal of Evusheld is underway as a priority and following an agreement with the manufacturer, NICE has already expedited the appraisal of Evusheld by one month and its independent Appraisal Committee will meet on 24 January to consider its draft recommendations.