The Medical Technologies Evaluation Programme at NICE today welcomes the appointment of a new external assessment centre to support its guidance production and associated processes. The joint external assessment centre, a collaboration between Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Medical Physics Department and York Health Economics Consortium, has been commissioned by NICE to provide independent assessment of the evidence for medical technologies and related economic analysis. It will also have a central role in developing and facilitating independent research products to assist manufacturers when NICE medical technology or diagnostics guidance recommends that further research should be carried out.
Professor Carole Longson, Director of the Centre for Health Technology Evaluation at NICE, said “We’re delighted to welcome the new joint external assessment centre based at Newcastle and York. Their input to the production of NICE medical technology guidance will be essential, providing independent assessment of the evidence available for devices going through the NICE evaluation process. NICE medical technology guidance looks at whether a device offers benefits to the patient and NHS at a lower cost compared with similar products, or increased benefits for equal cost.
“An important feature of both the NICE Medical Technologies Evaluation and Diagnostics Assessment programmes is expertise and capacity for facilitating the development of further evidence. Where the relevant NICE advisory committee identifies that a technology has considerable potential but insufficient evidence to support widespread adoption across the NHS, it may make recommendations for further research. In such cases, the external assessment centre will play a key role in facilitating the development of further relevant evidence. We look forward to working with the centre, and benefitting from their combined technical and economics expertise in supporting the development of robust guidance for the NHS.”
Source: NICE
published: October 20, 2011 in: Economics, Healthcare, News, Technology