31 January 2018 - Drug costs are an issue in virtually every country and particularly in the United States. In this Viewpoint, Dillon and Landells from NICE describe the process used by NICE to appraise cancer drugs.

NICE was established in 1999 to help the National Health Service (NHS) in England and Wales to improve outcomes for patients by providing evidence-based clinical practice guidance. Technology appraisal guidance evaluates the clinical and cost-effectiveness of new drugs, medical devices, and diagnostics and makes recommendations on their use. Between March 2000 and October 2017, 783 recommendations have been published. Cancer technologies constitute 41% of all published technology appraisals.

When patients choose a treatment that has been recommended by NICE for routine use, the NHS must fund it. A national body, NHS England, is responsible for commissioning cancer treatment.

Read JAMA Viewpoint