Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the cost effectiveness of prescribing medicines for asthma patients; and if he will make a statement.

We have made no such assessment. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is responsible for providing guidance to the National Health Service on the clinical and cost effectiveness of selected drugs and indications through its technology appraisal programme. NICE has published several pieces of technology appraisal guidance covering a number of different technologies for use in the treatment of adults and children with asthma. Further information is available on NICE’s website at:

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/conditions-and-diseases/respiratory-conditions/asthma