Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on delays in NICE providing its guidance on the Nivolumab drug; and whether any decisions have been made about the future funding of that drug.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes information on the progress of ongoing technology appraisals available on its website, including explanations for any delays.

NICE has issued technology appraisal guidance recommending nivolumab (Opdivo) for a number of indications as follows:

- for treating advanced (unresectable or metastatic) melanoma in guidance published in February 2016;

- (in combination with ipilimumab) for treating advanced melanoma in guidance published in July 2016; and

- for previously treated advanced renal cell carcinoma in guidance published in November 2016.

NICE is also appraising nivolumab for a number of other indications, including lung cancers and head and neck cancer.

National Health Service commissioners are legally required to fund drugs and treatments recommended in NICE technology appraisal guidance within three months of the publication of final guidance. Under the new operating model for the Cancer Drugs Fund, NHS England will fund drugs recommended by NICE in draft technology appraisal guidance from the point of marketing authorisation.