To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what progress has been made on (a) the licensing of Velcade and (b) access to Velcade for patients; (77226)

Velcade was granted a European Union-wide marketing authorisation in April 2004. The current licensed indications are mono-therapy for the treatment of progressive multiple myeloma in patients who have received at least one prior therapy and who have already undergone or are unsuitable for bone marrow transplantation.

Preparatory work on the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) appraisal of Velcade has commenced and I understand that NICE will publish a timescale for completion of this work in due course.

In 1999, the Department issued Health Service Circular 1999/176, which asks national health service bodies to continue with local arrangements for the managed introduction of new technologies where guidance from NICE has not yet been issued. These arrangements should include an assessment of the available evidence. There is no bar on clinicians prescribing drugs that have not yet been appraised by NICE.