§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health in the light of clinical and economic evidence produced since the publication of the Forrest report on breast cancer screening, what is the current cost/quality adjusted life year estimate for this procedure.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 16 November at column432. We have received the report describing the computer model that has been developed as part of the economic evaluation of the United Kingdom trial of the early detection of breast cancer. We understand that one further specific report is planned: on the use of diagnostic resources and costs of treatment. The various elements will then be incorporated into a final report on the economic evaluation of the trial.
In the interim the Department has been looking at the mortality reductions reported in the trial. These suggest that the cost per quality adjusted life year quoted in the Forrest report was of the correct order.