Appraisal

To find out more about these and other market access services from Spectrum, please call us on +44 (0)1403 320280.

Health Technology Appraisal

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) serves both the English NHS and the Welsh NHS. NICE publishes guidelines in three areas: the use of health technologies within the NHS (such as the use of new and existing medicines, devices, treatments and procedures), clinical practice (quality standards defining high-quality treatment and care for people with specific diseases and conditions), and guidance on health promotion and ill-health avoidance. These appraisals are based primarily on evaluations of efficacy and cost-effectiveness in various circumstances.  Since 2005, the NHS in England and Wales has been legally obliged to provide funding for medicines and treatments recommended by NICE’s technology appraisal board. Successful outcome of a NICE appraisal is therefore essential for access to new drugs through the NHS in England and Wales.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has the role of providing advice to Scottish NHS Boards and their Area Drug and Therapeutics Committees (ADTCs) about all newly licensed medicines. It seeks to supply advice rapidly to ensure that eligible patients can get access to the medicine as quickly as possible. In Wales, the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) undertakes assessment of new drugs, particularly in areas where there is no NICE guidance. The National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) conducts the assessment of pharmaceutical products for the Health Service Executive (HSE) in the Republic of Ireland in collaboration with the HSE Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit (HSE-CPU).  The aim of the centre is to promote expertise in Ireland for the advancement of the discipline of pharmacoeconomics through practice, research and education.

Our Success

Spectrum has worked successfully on behalf of companies with all four health technology appraisal (HTA) bodies. Having worked on over 50 submissions that have resulted in a positive appraisal, Spectrum offers a complete service for both pharmaceutical products and medical devices:

• Disease area reviews and burden of illness analyses to underpin the rationale for patient group selection
• Critical appraisal of product evidence-base to support positioning
• Development of economic model to meet agency requirements
• Writing and compiling fully referenced documents for submission
• Development of responses to consultation documents and draft guidance
• Full project management throughout the process, including post-submission questions and appeals.

Learn More

To find out more about these and other market access services from Spectrum, please call us on +44 (0)1403 320280 or contact us by email.