The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has released a joint statement with the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies (CADTH) and the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) in the US announcing changes to the way confidential information pertaining to health technologies is handled to both streamline processes and increase transparency.
As the 3 organisations operate in different health systems but share aims and values, the health technology agencies have been working in tandem to create a more consistent approach to handling health information and clinical data. Beginning in May 2023, NICE and CADTH will not routinely remove clinical data awaiting publication when developing guidance. NICE will further have its own policies for handling clinical information where there are no publication plans.
Each organisation will continue to engage and collaborate with individual companies, recognising there may be changes required to processes and procedures at the end of the HTA organisations. The collaboration and changes in handling of clinical data form a part of the new NICE proportionate approach to evaluations of health technologies. The recently released interim methods and processes manual describes NICE’s new approach to apply light-touch, streamlined and faster evaluations to low risk treatments, to facilitate the generation of rapid guidance. So far, 5 treatments have been recommended through this approach.
Source:
NICE collaborates with international partner agencies to streamline the confidential marking process. https://www.nice.org.uk/news/article/nice-collaborates-with-international-partner-agencies-to-streamline-the-confidential-marking-process. Accessed 2nd May 2023.