§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if, in considering the cost effectiveness of beta-interferon, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence will be allowed to consider social care and social security costs and lost tax revenues as well as health-related costs; [72567]
(2) what time-scale he will expect the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to work to in drawing up advice on the role of beta-interferon. [72566]
§ Mr. DenhamWe are currently consulting on a discussion paper,Faster access to modern treatment, which sets out its detailed proposals for how the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) will carry out appraisals of the clinical and cost effectiveness of individual health treatments. Until responses have been received and considered by Ministers, no firm decisions will be taken either on the topics to be referred to NICE, or on the precise methods of appraisal to be used.