§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will ask the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to hear oral evidence from multiple sclerosis patients; [129116]
(2) what guidance he has given to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence about taking evidence from patients. [129117]
§ Mr. DenhamThe National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) determines its own processes, within broad guidance from Ministers set out in a "Memorandum of Understanding" of August 1999. We have asked NICE to follow a transparent and well-structured process for its appraisals, giving appropriate interested parties the opportunity to submit evidence, to comment on draft conclusions, and to appeal to a panel independent of those involved in the original judgment. For their appraisal of beta interferon NICE have sought evidence from patient representative organisations and we anticipate that NICE will be well aware from this of the views of individual multiple sclerosis patients.