When does NICE recommend the use of health technologies within a programme of evidence

development?

Presenter: Louise Longworth1

Co-authors: J Youn1, L Bojke2, S Palmer2, S Griffin2, E Spackman2 and K Claxton2

1 Health Economics Research Group (HERG), Brunel University, UK2 Centre for Health Economics, University of York, UK

HTAi, Bilbao, Spain. 26 June 2012

Based on a project funded by the UK MRC-NIHR Methodology Research programme

Context

Interest in linking reimbursement decisions with requirements for evidence development is increasing

In the UK, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has previously issued guidance using these types of recommendations

A range of terms are used to describe these reimbursement recommendations. Two categories are defined for this study:

1. ‘Only in research’ (OIR): recommends the technology is not used routinely and which recommends that further research is conducted as part of the formal guidance.

2. ‘Approval with research’ (AWR): recommends the technology is used routinely and which recommends further research is conducted as part of the formal guidance

Current NICE Guidance

It [The Committee] should consider whether the intervention is reasonably likely to benefit patients and the public, how easily the

research can be set up or whether it is already planned or in progress, how likely the research is to provide further evidence, and whether the

research is good value for money”.

NICE Social value judgements. 2008

Aims

To identify:

1. where OIR and AWR recommendations were made or considered in the development of NICE guidance; and

2. the considerations that led to those recommendations and to identify any common characteristics in those appraisals.

Methods

All draft and final guidance produced by the NICE Technology Appraisals programme up to Jan 2010 were reviewed and those including OIR/AWR recommendations were identified

Data were extracted from the guidance documents. These included:– Appraisal process history and characteristics – Information on the technology and condition– Type of recommendation and research requested– Cost-effectiveness data– Key considerations leading to the OIR/AWR recommendation

Thematic content analysis of the guidance documents was conducted to extract the stated key considerations.

Results: appraisal characteristics

Of 184 appraisals:– 31 included OIR/AWR in draft guidance: 26 OIR; 5 AWR– 29 included OIR/AWR in final guidance: 25 OIR; 4 AWR

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 20090%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

AWROIR

Single Technology Appraisal (STA) process introduced

Results: cost-effectiveness estimates*

OIR AWR Total

Considered cost-effective 2 3 5

Not considered cost-effective 23 1 24

Total 25 4 29

* Based on conclusions or preferred estimates for the specific OIR/AWR indication as stated by the Appraisal Committee in the final guidance

Key uncertainties leading to OIR and AWR recommendations

Relative effectiveness (whole population)

Relative effectiveness (OIR/AWR population)

Long-term effects

Adverse effects

Cost-effectiveness

Quality of life

Costs

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18

OIRAWR

Clinical effectiveness

Cost effectiveness

Conclusions

NICE has issued recommendations linking reimbursement to evidence development– usually as ‘Only in research’ but some uses of ‘approval with

research’ were evident The use of both OIR and AWR have recently declined

– OIR/AWR are rarely used within the STA process; but this does not account for all reduction in use

Differences in the stated rationale for OIR and AWR were observed– uncertainty in relative treatment effects for OIR– uncertainty in long-term effects for AWR

This review has helped to inform the development of a formal framework for the optimal use of OIR/AWR

Further information

Longworth L, Youn J, Bojke L et al. When does NICE recommend the use of health technologies within a programme of evidence development? A systematic review of NICE guidance. Pharmacoeconomics (forthcoming)

Claxton K, Palmer S, Longworth L et al. Informing a decision framework for when NICE should recommend the use of health technologies only in the context of an appropriately designed programme of evidence development. Health Technology Assessment Report (forthcoming)

louise.longworth@brunel.ac.uk

Acknowledgement

This research was funded by the MRC-NIHR Methodology Research programme in the UK as part of a larger project to establish an improved framework for formulating approval and research recommendations under uncertainty at NICE ‘Only in Research’ project (G0802659)