HC Deb 12 July 2001 vol 371 cc601-2W
Dr. Evan Harris

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the health authorities in England and Wales that are awaiting a decision from NICE on Irinotecan, Oxaliplatin and Raltitrexed before they will fund these drugs in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer; [3287]

(2) what plans he has to direct NICE to issue guidance on the use of Irinotecan as second-line treatment of advanced colorectal cancer; and if he will make a statement; [3285]

(3) what assessment he has made of the length of time between the decision to uphold the appeal against the appraisal by NICE on the use of Irinotecan, Oxaliplatin and Raltitrexed in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer and the next review of draft guidance by the Appraisal Committee of NICE; and if he will make a statement; [3281]

(4) when NICE will issue guidance on the use of Irinotecan, Oxaliplatin and Raltitrexed in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer; [3282]

(5) when the appeal against the appraisal by NICE on the use of Irinotecan, Oxaliplatin and Raltitrexed in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer will be heard; when the Appeal Board decided to uphold the appeal; and when this decision was announced; [3279]

(6) what guidance he intends to give to health authorities following the appeal being upheld against the appraisal by NICE on the use of Irinotecan, Oxaliplatin and Raltitrexed in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer, and prior to formal guidance being issued by NICE; [3283]

(7) if NICE has completed its appraisal on the use of Irinotecan as second-line treatment or advanced colorectal cancer; [3284]

(8) when the appraisal committee of NICE will meet to review the draft guidance on the use of Irinotecan, Oxaliplatin and Raltitrexed in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. [3280]

Ms Blears

[holding answers 11 July 2001]: We referred the appraisal of Irinotecan to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) on 12 July 2000.

Details of the process for a particular treatment are a matter for NICE. However, we understand that an appeal panel heard appeals against the final appraisal Determination on the use of Irinotecan, Oxaliplatin and Raltitrexed in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer on 23 May 2001 and that the panel's decision was forwarded to the Institute on 27 June 2001. The panel's decision was distributed to consultees on 28 June and was published on the Institute's website on 2 July.

The appraisal committee will review its final appraisal determination on the use of Irinotecan, Oxaliplatin and Raltitrexed in the light of the appeal panel's decision and recommendations. It was asked to do so on 27 June when the Institute received the appeal panel's final decision. The date on which it will meet to review its final appraisal determination is to be confirmed, as is the proposed date the Institute will issue its guidance. We understand that when these dates are agreed they will, in line with the Institute's usual practice, be published on the NICE website.

The length of time between the decision to uphold the appeal and the next review of draft guidance is a matter for NICE. It is aware that the final guidance should be issued as soon as possible but that due process should be followed.

We do not hold a central list of the authorities who are awaiting a decision from NICE before they will make these drugs available. However, we expect that health authorities will continue arrangements for the managed introduction of new technologies, in line with Health Service Circular 1999/176 issued in August 1999, copies of which are available in the Library.