§ Lord Morris of Manchesterasked Her Majesty's Government:
How particular interventions and treatments are selected for appraisal by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence; and why the appraisals carried out so far have concentrated on drug therapies rather than on interventions which are not pharmaceutically based. [HL26]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathPossible topics for appraisal by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence are identified by the Horizon Scanning Centre at the University of Birmingham, by policy advisers in the Department of Health, by professional or patient organisations, or by other interested parties such as pharmaceutical companies. Topics are assessed against published criteria. Ministers take the final decision on which topics are referred to the Institute.
Application of the criteria has so far led to the majority of appraisals being concerned with pharmaceuticals. However, the work programme has also included other technologies such as surgical interventions, hearing aids and a screening technique.