The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7186 p233-237
23 February 2002

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New NICE appraisals

New drugs to treat breast cancer, Alzheimer's disease and hepatitis C, and to give pain relief in multiple sclerosis are being considered for the seventh wave of appraisals by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence in April 2003.

The treatments and procedures under consideration are:

• Hormones for early breast cancer
• Cannabinoids for multiple sclerosis
• New treatments for Alzheimer's disease and non-Alzheimer's dementia
• Pegylated interferons for hepatitis C
• Single photon-electron computed tomography for diagnosing heart disease
• Drug eluting stents which may reduce restenosis following angioplasty
• Clopidogrel and dipyridamole for secondary prevention of atherosclerosis
• Newer hypnotic drugs for the treatment of insomnia
• Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy feeding
• New treatments for venous leg ulcers and for diabetic foot ulcers
• Prehospital intravenous fluid therapy in trauma
• Nutritional supplement feeding versus modified oral feeding in adult patients with advanced diseases

NICE will use the results of Royal Pharmaceutical Society supported trials to assess the use of cannabinoids in multiple sclerosis and post-operative pain. Results are expected at the end of 2002.