§ Mr. ToddTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make available summaries of information submitted to NICE on a commercial-in-confidence basis; and if he will make a statement. [154779]
§ Mr. DenhamDetails of the appraisal process and the publication of evidence are matters for the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). NICE has recently consulted on changes to its appraisal process. I understand that it is proposing that, where information submitted to the institute is designated by a consultee as being 'commercial in confidence', the institute will undertake not to release this information to a third party. However, the institute may ask the consultee to forego such restrictions on release where either there appears to be no obvious commercial reason for the restrictions; or such restrictions would make it difficult or impossible for the institute to show the evidential basis for its guidance.