Resource Allocation in the National Health Service: Access to drugs pending NICE Assessment (November 2006, Vikram Sachdeva)
The NHS is not a bottomless pit; yet new treatments continue to emerge at an ever-increasing rate. The decision regarding which drugs are available on the NHS is not a new one, and the primary responsibility for assessment of the clinical evidence lies on the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. But what is a patient to do if a drug is licensed for use, but is not due for consideration by NICE for a substantial period of time?