PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Cancer: Drugs (25 February 2020)

New arrangements for the assessment and adoption of new cancer drugs were introduced in 2016 to help improve patient access to new cancer drugs, including through the Government established Cancer Drugs Fund.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is now committed to publishing final guidance within 90 days of a new cancer drug receiving its licence and aims to publish its draft recommendation before a licence is granted. The forecasted mean time from a new cancer drug receiving its licence to published final guidance in 2020/21 is now 1.5 months which is a reduction of 13.5 months from 2012/13. The speed of appraisal output is affected by appeals, late referrals, additional committee meetings and companies negotiating revised timing of appraisals.