HC Deb 02 April 1998 vol 309 cc648-9W
Mr. Webb

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the proposed National Institute for Clinical Effectiveness will assess the effectiveness of existing drugs where there is controversy over clinical effectiveness. [37469]

Ms Jowell

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence will need to consider the clinical and cost-effectiveness of existing drags when developing clinical guidelines. All licensed medicines should be efficacious under the conditions of use covered by their licensing. We will be consulting about the work of National Institute for Clinical Excellence shortly.