Earlier we commented on the future path of Britain’s National Health Service as spelled out in the “Darzi Report.” (“Do you deny it, Mr. Darzi”)
One of Lord Darzi's recommendations is that NICE work faster so that the fine and timely work of the MHRA (the FDA’s sister agency in the United Kingdom) isn’t wasted.
According to NICE Chairman Sir Michael Rawlings, "Our ambition is to make sure guidance is available within three to six months.” He said this could be achieved by increasing the number of advisory committees and starting the evaluation process a year before a drug company expects to obtain a license. (Not a bad idea for similar action by CMS right here at home.)
That’s good news. What’s better news is that Sir Michael seems to be almost, kind of, sort of ready to reconsider NICE’s inflexible devotion to the Holy QALY.
According to the NICE chairman, "People attach a special importance to extending the lives of [those with] mortal illnesses, even for a few months, and we appreciate these extra weeks and months can be very special.”
Further, "We are proposing to provide our advisory bodies with supplementary advice ... which will have the effect of extending the threshold range of what we would normally regard as cost-effective."
Good golly! Miss QALY?
However, "We are not proposing to extend this to all conditions. Frankly, it would cost the NHS hundreds of millions of pounds."
Well, heaven forbid that the NHS should provide the best care when adequate care is available. That’s cost-based versus patient-centric care. That’s NICE.
In other words, when Sir Michael’s political masters feel the heat – NICE sees the light. This is a case (one not unknown in American politics) of the squeaky wheel getting the oil. And now that British citizens with “mortal illnesses” will finally be treated like human beings, it’s only a matter of time until every other segment of the British population figures out that where their best chances for best treatment lies – in public activism.
Is this any way to run an airline?
One of Lord Darzi's recommendations is that NICE work faster so that the fine and timely work of the MHRA (the FDA’s sister agency in the United Kingdom) isn’t wasted.
According to NICE Chairman Sir Michael Rawlings, "Our ambition is to make sure guidance is available within three to six months.” He said this could be achieved by increasing the number of advisory committees and starting the evaluation process a year before a drug company expects to obtain a license. (Not a bad idea for similar action by CMS right here at home.)
That’s good news. What’s better news is that Sir Michael seems to be almost, kind of, sort of ready to reconsider NICE’s inflexible devotion to the Holy QALY.
According to the NICE chairman, "People attach a special importance to extending the lives of [those with] mortal illnesses, even for a few months, and we appreciate these extra weeks and months can be very special.”
Further, "We are proposing to provide our advisory bodies with supplementary advice ... which will have the effect of extending the threshold range of what we would normally regard as cost-effective."
Good golly! Miss QALY?
However, "We are not proposing to extend this to all conditions. Frankly, it would cost the NHS hundreds of millions of pounds."
Well, heaven forbid that the NHS should provide the best care when adequate care is available. That’s cost-based versus patient-centric care. That’s NICE.
In other words, when Sir Michael’s political masters feel the heat – NICE sees the light. This is a case (one not unknown in American politics) of the squeaky wheel getting the oil. And now that British citizens with “mortal illnesses” will finally be treated like human beings, it’s only a matter of time until every other segment of the British population figures out that where their best chances for best treatment lies – in public activism.
Is this any way to run an airline?
