Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the NHS is taking to fund Baricitinib for the treatment of severe alopecia areata.

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 medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended in a NICE appraisal, usually within three months of final guidance.

NICE published final draft guidance on 18 May 2023 which does not recommend baricitinib for the treatment of severe alopecia areata. An appeal has been made against NICE’s final draft guidance by Alopecia UK which will be considered by NICE’s appeal panel on 12 September 2023. NICE will issue final guidance in due course.