How does NICE work?

NICE was generally welcomed on its inauguration. 1 2 Previously, a lack of capacity at national level to appraise healthcare interventions before, or indeed after, their widespread diffusion had several adverse consequences: no guidance was available when important new drugs were first marketed, local policies varied, and unproved interventions entered routine use.3 NICE filled this gap, giving guidance on interventions of uncertain value and providing clinical guidelines and clinical audit packages. NICE should be congratulated for the transparency it has shown in its processes, in the face of some opposition from the pharmaceutical industry.

NICE's decisions are based on an assessment of the technology, usually prepared by independent researchers commissioned by the Health Technology Assessment programme, and submissions from the manufacturer(s) and from patient and professional groups. These are considered by the …