Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of the proportion of terminated NICE health technology appraisals that are for blood cancer treatments compared to other cancers.

Since August 2019, 31% of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisals for blood cancer treatments were terminated as the company withdrew from the NICE appraisal process. For the same period, 21% of appraisals for all cancers were terminated.

Between 2019 and 2025 so far, 93% of blood cancer treatment recommendations in completed NICE appraisals were positive, which is higher than the rate across the whole NICE portfolio. NICE has also recommended more treatments for blood cancers in draft guidance that are now available to eligible patients through the Cancer Drugs Fund.

NICE strives to get the best care to patients fast and ensure value for the taxpayer. The aligned NICE and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency pathway, set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, will allow NICE to bring medicines to patients three to six months sooner. NICE also continues to support and work with companies to identify the best time to submit appraisals and to ensure they have a clear understanding of NICE’s methods and processes, to try and avoid terminations.