NICE 2002/038
Issued: 8th July 2002
PRESS RELEASE
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) is considering appeals made following consultation on the Final Appraisal Determination (FAD) on human growth hormone for adults.
Comments in the press about the outcome of this appraisal are speculation, as no final decision has been taken and no recommendations have been issued to the NHS.
An Appeal Panel will be convened on 20th August and the appellants will be kept fully informed at all stages of the process.
The Institute will not issue any guidance to the NHS until the appraisal process is complete. If appeals are upheld the Institute can ask the independent Appraisals Committee to reconsider the evidence in the light of the decision of the Appeal Panel. If the appeals are not upheld the Institute will proceed to publish the FAD as its Guidance to the NHS.
The Institute will not be issuing any comment on the content of the FAD until the final guidance is issued to the NHS.
Ends
Notes for Editors
- The final appraisal determination (FAD) for human growth hormone for adults was sent to patients, professionals and manufacturers on the 18 June 2002. The consultees are listed on the NICE website at http://www.nice.org.uk/cat.asp?c=20253
- This appraisal is being conducted under the Institute's original appraisal process which means the FAD will not be posted on the NICE website.
- The original appraisal process is still applicable to this topic as it was one of the 4th wave of topics referred to the Institute by the Department of Health and Welsh Assembly Government. Under the new process, which started with the 5th wave, the FAD is published on the Institute's website.
- The FAD does not constitute the Institute's formal guidance to the NHS on this technology. Guidance is not issued until the results of any appeals are known. The earliest guidance could be available is September 2002.
- Appeals must fall within one or more of the following grounds:
a. The Institute has failed to act fairly and in accordance with the appraisal procedure set out in the Institute's Guide to the Technology Appraisal Process.
b. The Institute has prepared guidance which is perverse in the light of the evidence submitted.
c. The Institute has exceeded its powers. - NICE issued a press release on 24th June giving an update on the appraisal.
