BIA response to NICE TA-HST charging review

The BIA has responded to NICE's consultation on changes to charging for Technology Appraisals  (TA) and the Highly Specialised Technology (HST) programme.

The response calls on NICE to provide greater transparency in the justification for the proposed increase in charges, and to demonstrate increased value to companies for the higher fees by delivering continual improvements to its processes, including by:

• Publishing more data on NICE processes, creating more transprency and accountability. 
• Introducing 'after-action reviews' after each appraisal with all participants represented.
• Making changes to committee meetings to make them less adversarial for patients and clinicians.
• Developing success criteria to review the performance of External Assessment Groups (EAGs) in appraisals.