This is a summary of the response the SHA submitted to the Department of Health and Social Care consultation about proposed changes to the NICE cost effectiveness thresholds. These proposed changes followed extensive lobbying by pharmaceutical companies and trade negotiations with the Trump administration.
Brief Report:
Title: Changes to NICE Regulations: Cost-Effectiveness Threshold
Summary SHA response to Department of Health & Social Care
Key Points:
- Overview:
- The document is part of a survey regarding changes to NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) regulations, specifically focusing on the cost-effectiveness threshold.
- Key Responses:
- Question: Should government ministers determine NICE thresholds for technology costs?
Response: Disagree. The SHA believes that decisions based on commercial or political considerations could lead to suboptimal allocation of NHS resources. We suggest that an expert body focused on public health and wellbeing should make these decisions.
- Question: Should government ministers determine NICE thresholds for technology costs?
- Final Comments:
- The SHA advocates for a publicly funded and regulated pharmaceutical industry focused on public health rather than profit.
- We urge the government to address the decline in UK pharmaceutical development and direct resources to areas of public interest.
This document highlights concerns about the potential impact of political and commercial influences on healthcare decisions and emphasizes the need for expert-driven, public health-focused approaches.