Appendix B. Sources of evidence considered by the Committee

The following documentation and opinions were made available to the Committee:

A The Assessment Report for this appraisal was prepared by the Southampton Health Technology Assessment Centre (SHTAC), Wessex Institute for Health Research and Development, University of Southampton

I Shepherd J, Brodin H, Cave C, et al, Pegylated interferon alpha 2a and 2b in combination with ribavirin in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C: a systematic review, 29 May 2003

B The following organisations accepted the invitation to participate in this appraisal. They were invited to make submissions and comment on the draft scope, Assessment Report and Appraisal Consultation Document (ACD). Consultee organisations are provided with the opportunity to appeal against the Final Appraisal Determination.

I Manufacturer/sponsors:

  • Roche Products Ltd

  • Schering-Plough Ltd

II Professional/specialist and patient/carer groups:

  • Action on Hepatitis C

  • Association of Nurses in Substance Abuse

  • British Association for Study of the Liver

  • British Liver Trust

  • British Society of Gastroenterology

  • Department of Health and the Welsh Assembly Government

  • Haemophilia Society

  • Hepatitis C Trust

  • Hepatitis Nurse Specialist Forum

  • Mainliners

  • Royal College of General Practitioners

  • Royal College of Pathologists

  • Royal College of Physicians

  • Royal Pharmaceutical Society

  • Terrence Higgins Trust

  • UK Haemophilia Centre Doctors' Organisation

III Commentator organisations (without the right of appeal):

  • National Hepatitis C Resource Centre

  • NHS Quality Improvement Scotland

C The following individuals were selected from clinical expert and patient advocate nominations from the professional/specialist and patient/carer groups. They participated in the Appraisal Committee discussions and provided evidence to inform the Appraisal Committee's deliberations. They gave their expert personal view on interferon alfa (pegylated and non-peglyated) and ribavirin in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C by attending the initial Committee discussion and/or providing written evidence to the Committee. They were invited to comment on the ACD.

  • Dr Has Dasani, Physician for Haemophilia Centre, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff

  • Dr Graham Foster, Consultant Hepatologist, Queen Mary College, The Royal London Hospital

  • Mr Charles Gore, Chief Executive, The Hepatitis C Trust

  • Mr Robert James, Chair of Birchgrove, on behalf of The Haemophilia Society

  • Dr Elizabeth McCruden, Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Virologist, Institute of Virology, University of Glasgow and North Glasgow NHS University Trust

  • John Morris, Hepatitis Worker and Robert James, Chair of Birchgrove, on behalf of The Haemophilia Society UK

  • Professor Howard Thomas, Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Imperial College at St Mary's Hospital, British Society of Gastroenterology