Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the submission by NHS England to NICE of Form ID6262: Nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir for treating COVID-19 (Partial Rapid Review of TA878), what assessment she has made of the potential merits of NHS England’s request for a 12-month delay to access to Paxlovid for some clinically vulnerable patients.

The Department recognises that implementation of the updated National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommendations on nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (Paxlovid) within the standard three-month timescale that applies to NICE’s recommendations would be challenging for the National Health Service. The Department supports NICE’s consultation on NHS England’s proposal to phase rollout to the expanded cohort of patients over a 12-month period. NHS England’s proposal would ensure that the NHS has sufficient time to put in place the capacity necessary to support access to treatment and consider how to ensure the availability of testing in way that provides value for money, whilst continuing to ensure access for patients at highest risk of serious illness from COVID-19.

NICE will carefully consider the comments received in response to the consultation in making its final recommendations.