The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 275 No 7376 p626
19 November 2005

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NICE-approved drugs should be given ring-fenced funding

Ring-fenced funding should be available to pay for new medicines approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, according to the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry.

Speaking at a media briefing last week, Richard Barker, director-general of the ABPI, said that the NHS needs to pride itself on innovation and not just cost-effectiveness and so, if new drugs become available and are approved by NICE, new funding should be made available to pay for them. The ABPI also wants to encourage direct dialogue between NICE and pharmaceutical companies to ensure the information NICE needs for health technology assessments — including the new format single technology assessments — is available in the right place at the right time.

He said the ABPI would work with NICE through the consulation excercise about the new arrangements.