Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of NICE introducing a fast-track evaluation process for brain tumour drugs supported by early-stage evidence.

No such assessment has been made. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) evaluates all new licensed medicines, including for brain tumours, and aims wherever possible to publish guidance for the National Health Service on their use close to the time of licensing. NICE is able to recommend promising new cancer drugs for use through the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) where there is too much uncertainty for NICE to be able to recommend routine funding. NHS England also funds the use of licensed medicines, via the CDF, that are recommended by NICE from the date of positive draft guidance, enabling patient access up to five months earlier than would otherwise be the case.

Through the Life Sciences Sector Plan, we are improving alignment between Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency licensing and NICE guidance, helping medicines reach patients three to six months faster. This includes a coordinated pathway and integrated advice service for developers, launched in March 2026, to streamline regulatory and Health Technology Assessment processes and support timely patient access.