(2) when he expects the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to issue guidance on (a) Dasatinib and (b) Nilotinib for imatinib-resistant chronic myeloid leukaemia;
(3) if he will instruct the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to appraise (a) Dasatinib and (b) Nilotinib for the treatment of imatinib-resistant chronic myeloid leukaemia through the single technology appraisal process.
Ministers made a minded referral of dasatinib and nilotinib for the treatment of imatinib-resistant chronic myeloid leukaemia to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in October 2007. NICE'S consultation on the remit and scope of this appraisal closed on 28 January 2008. It is currently proposed that these two products be appraised together so that the national health service has a single source of advice, but feedback on the results of this consultation is awaited. Ministers will make a final decision on the referral of these topics following receipts of a report back from NICE'S consultation.
Good practice guidance published by the Department in December 2006 highlights Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) guidance as one source on which local NHS organisations can draw in making decisions on the use of specific drugs where NICE guidance is not available. We have no plans to mandate the adoption of SMC guidance by the NHS in England.