Written question asked by David Lidington (Conservative) on Thursday, 29 June 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 4 July 2000. It was answered by John Denham (Labour) on Tuesday, 4 July 2000 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ask the National Institute for Clincial Excellence to hear oral evidence from multiple sclerosis patients; what guidance he has given to the National Institute for Clincial Excellence about taking evidence from patients.

Answer: Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will ask the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to hear oral evidence from multiple sclerosis patients; [129116] (2) what guidance he has given to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence about taking evidence from patients. [129117] Mr. Denham: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) determines its own processes, within broad guidance from Ministers set out in a "Memorandum of Understanding" of August 1999. We have asked NICE to follow a transparent and well-structured process for its appraisals, giving appropriate interested parties the opportunity to submit evidence, to comment on draft conclusions, and to appeal to a panel independent of those involved in the original judgment. For their appraisal of beta interferon NICE have sought evidence from patient representative organisations and we anticipate that NICE will be well aware from this of the views of individual multiple sclerosis patients.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 353 c148W; 129116;129117
Session: 1999-00
Subjects: Evidence NHS Patients Multiple sclerosis National Institute for Clinical Excellence Interferon beta
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk