§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health by what means his Department(a) monitors and (b) evaluates medical research undertaken elsewhere in the world. [140543]
§ Ms StuartThe Department has established mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating medical research undertaken elsewhere in the world. In general, this is an ongoing activity and is part of the day-to-day work of many officials particularly in-house scientists and doctors who are sometimes national and international experts themselves. It is also part of the remit of many of the Department's advisory committees to advise on new scientific discoveries and to present recommendations for further research. The Department is able to call on advice from the Medical Research Council which itself maintains close contact with the progress and implications of medical research around the world. In addition, there are four specific mechanisms.
The National Horizon Scanning Centre (NHSC) at the University of Birmingham provides advance notice to the Department of new and emerging health technologies that might require urgent evaluation, consideration of clinical and cost impact or modification of clinical guidance. Health technologies include pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostic tests and procedures, surgery, rehabilitation and health promotion activities. The NHSC hosts the Secretariat for EuroScan, the European Information Network on New and Changing Health Technologies. EuroScan was developed to explore the potential for and benefits of sharing information on selected emerging health technologies or new applications of existing ones.
The United Kingdom Cochrane Centre has the overall purpose of facilitating and co-ordinating reviews primarily in the specialised area of randomised controlled trials of health care. Cochrane Reviews place an emphasis on completeness and continuous updating. They are extremely thorough and put a lot of work into identifying relevant research from around the world. The UK Cochrane Centre helped establish the Cochrane Collaboration, which is an independent, international organisation that aims to help people make well informed decisions about health care by preparing, maintaining and promoting the accessibility of systematic reviews of the effects of healthcare interventions. The Cochrane Reviews are undertaken by Collaborative Review Groups (CRGs) comprising experts in particular fields from all over the world.
The Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) commissions and supports experts to undertake specific systematic reviews in areas of priority to the National Health Service. In conducting reviews, the UK Cochrane 561W Centre and CRD work closely together and take account of all work relevant to their area, including work funded in this country by organisations other than the NHS, and work undertaken overseas. The CRD also maintains the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE) which contains approximately 500 abstracts of systematic reviews.
The NHS Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme is a national programme of research funded by the Department's research and development programme. The purpose of the programme is to ensure that high quality research information on the cost, effectiveness and broader impact of health technologies available to those who use, manage and provide care in the NHS. The National Co-ordinating Centre for HTA (NCCHTA), which is part of the Wessex Institute for Health Research and Development at the University of Southampton, co-ordinates the HTA programme on behalf of the research and development programme. Much of the work of the programme comprises systematic reviews of the worldwide literature on particular topics. The HTA Programme maintains links with international HTA organisations such as the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment and the International Society of Technology Assessment in Health Care. There is also close collaboration between the NCCHTA and other international agencies. In particular, NCCHTA works closely with the UK Cochrane Centre, the Cochrane Collaboration and the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination to ensure co-ordination between these related activities.