NICE gets flexible evaluating new health technologies and improving patient access

Following a 2-year development stage, NICE (London, UK) has approved final methodology changes for health technology assessments (HTAs). The new, flexible approach may allow patients to access innovative new treatments sooner due to updated guidance about the cost-effectiveness of treatments and supporting evidence used in the evaluation process. Multiple components key to the evaluation process have changed, including how evaluation topics are decided, the process of evaluation itself and the sort of evidence collected and considered. Stakeholders and patients are set to benefit from these changes as they encourage flexibility during HTA evaluations. During the development stages, NICE recruited the...