Your monthly round-up of market access news
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What was new to MAP in April
Fast Track Appraisals
In October 2016, NICE published a joint consultation with NHS England containing proposals to change aspects of the NICE Technology Appraisal and Highly Specialised Technologies programmes. The consultation covered several topics, including the introduction of a new “fast track appraisal” process. This page explains the proposed new fast track process which NICE intends to consider broadening to a wider group of treatments, including medical devices and diagnostics, over the next two years.
Innovation and Technology Tariff
On the 17th June 2016 NHS England’s Chief Executive Simon Stevens announced to around 1,000 NHS leaders the proposal for a new Innovation and Technology Tariff (ITT). The technology tariff would, for the first time, provide an explicit national reimbursement route for new MedTech innovations with the aim of increasing national uptake across the NHS. This page, new to the MAP UK site, explains the ITT, the successful technologies for the 2017-2019 tariff and the selection process for inclusion on the ITT.
Devolution Slide Deck
To help our website members understand more about devolution and how this affects health care, we have created a summary slide deck on what devolution means to the NHS and the role that devolution will play in the Sustainability and Transformation Plans.
Public Affairs Insights
The Public Affairs pages on the MAP UK site have been updated to contain insights relating to the General Election and how this is likely to affect public affairs activities during the period of “purdah”.
BioNow MedTech Accelerator
MedTech Accelerator - Reimbursement Strategy
On the 26th April, MAP MedTech delivered a session to a number of medical device companies as part of the BioNow MedTech Accelerator programme.
The session focussed on reimbursement strategy and covered a range of topics from NICE through to Public Affairs.
The slide deck used during the session is now available to MAP Online members on the MAP MedTech website.
April Market Access News
UK 2017 General Election - MAP Update
The Prime Minister Theresa May announced on 18 April that she would ask Parliament to approve a motion to call for a general election on 8 June. This approval has now been given, so the election will proceed.
From a viewpoint of MAP clients, there will be consequences in any dealings with officials, Ministers and MPs.
There will be a period of “purdah” from Friday 21 April for officials and Ministers, who will be very reluctant to meet or make statements. Almost everything will be put on hold. Parliament will be prorogued on Thursday 27 April and will be dissolved on 3 May.
A number of electoral factors will have been considered. The election will be fought on existing Parliamentary boundaries, which work in favour of Labour. There will be some weariness about having a General Election so soon after the last in 2015 and the referendum last year, so turnout may drop.
The Prime Minister will also be seen as breaking her promise not to hold an election until 2020 and will be criticised for seeking to gain partisan advantage rather than governing the country.
The date of the Queen’s Speech to the new Parliament has yet to be announced, but is expected to be in late June.
NHS England Publishes Research Plan
NHS England (NHSE) has published it’s research plan. This plan is the first step to set out NHS England’s strategic approach to research including the research and innovation architecture and how this links with work ongoing across Government, such as the Industrial Strategy. The purpose of the 1 year plan is to clearly articulate NHSE's current areas of focus and commitments including how they will continue to engage with stakeholders and work with partners.
The document also includes a number of commitments, including:
- Complete the design of and implement an improved approach for effective identification of research needs by October 2017
- Work in partnership with stakeholders to generate proposal topics and agree the priorities to address the needs of the NHS
- Work with the MHRA to increase uptake of the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) amongst GPs in England
- Work in partnership with DH and the Health Research Authority to create a more fertile environment for clinical trials
MDR-IVDR: Rapid Second Reading Adoption
The Council adopted its official position on the Medical Devices Regulation (MDR) and the diagnostics Regulation (IVDR) in a First-Reading on 7 March and the EU Parliament endorsed the two texts, in a Plenary vote. This concludes the Rapid Second Reading and triggers a number of actions, starting with the publications in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) in early May, and the entry into force of both texts 21 days thereafter.
The Commission will organise its next Unique Device Identification (UDI) group meeting on 3 May, in Brussels.
To read the EU Commission’s press release on these new EU rules, please click here.
Eleven Innovative Health Technology Projects Receive Efficiency Through Technology Funding
The Welsh Government’s Efficiency Through Technology Fund (ETTF) is designed to support health and social care projects that use innovative technology to improve the efficiency of healthcare services. Projects that have secured funding include the molecular diagnostics project which is led by Public Health Wales and will receive £2.5m over the next three years to improve methods of diagnosing gastrointestinal infections. So far 11 innovative health technology projects have been successful in the £7.3m funding bid.
£2.1m NHS Investment for New Technology Developments in Primary Care
The National Health Executive has reported that the NHS has given its backing to a programme led by SBRI Healthcare to invest £2.1m in innovative technologies to improve general practice. A total of 22 companies have been given awards of up to £100,000 to develop and commercialise novel technologies that will improve GP services and primary care.
£160m Tech Funding for 16 Flagship Digital Trusts
The Health Service Journal has reported that the Treasury has approved £160m of funding for 16 flagship digital trusts, but concerns remain about delays in accessing the money – with a letter to the 16 trusts explaining that “obstacles and conditions” remain before this will be released to trusts. An NHS England spokesman has, however, confirmed that the funding will start being released in the first half of 2017-18.
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For more news, events and consultations, please click here.
NICE Conference 2017
MAP will be attending the NICE conference on the 18-19th May
Come and say hello!
The Future of Life Sciences and EU Co-operation after March 2019
The Adam Smith Institute and MAP BioPharma are working together on a Conference entitled “The Future of Life Sciences and EU Co-operation after March 2019”.
This will be held from 9.30am – 2.30pm on Wednesday 12 July at Europe House in central London (Smith Square).
Speakers will include senior representatives from:
- The European Medicines Agency
- The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
- The Directorate - General for Research and Innovation in the European Commission
A Government Minister who leads on life sciences
