NICE’s five-year strategy sets a ‘positive vision for the future’

The pharma industry has responded to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) new five-year strategy, announced yesterday.

In response to NICE’s new guideline recommendations, Richard Torbett, chief executive of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) commented: “Pharmaceutical companies are working on thousands of exciting new medicines and treatments, from rare disease gene therapies to mRNA vaccines for cancer.”

He added: “Today’s strategy sets out a positive vision for the future of NICE; one which will see it evolve with the science that makes these breakthroughs possible and build on its international reputation for producing evidence-based guidance.”

NICE’s new strategy is seeking to accelerate patient access to the latest treatments and innovations developed by the pharma and life sciences industries.

This will involve transforming ‘key elements’ of its approach to the newest medicines, while maintaining its robust and trusted methods.

In a statement, NICE said that it will engage with the life sciences industry earlier in the innovation pathway to enable patients to access new treatments faster.

“We will continue to work with NICE to ensure medicine appraisals remain robust, transparent, and in line with the latest science so that NHS patients can benefit from new medicines when they become available,” said Torbett.

The British In Vitro Diagnostics (BIVDA) has also welcomed NICE’s five-year plans, adding that COVID-19 has highlighted the need for fast-tracking access to new and effective treatments, practices and technologies.

This means integrated real-world data into the evaluation process in order to improve decision-making, BIVDA said in a statement.

“NICE plays a vital role in ensuring high standards and safety and we welcome the plans to extend technological innovation to diagnostics over and above the traditional focus on drugs and medical devices,” said Doris-Ann Williams, chief executive of BIVDA.

“A dynamic, thriving diagnostic sector is vital to the recovery of the NHS post-pandemic. We look forward to working with NICE on the rollout of the strategy,” she added.