Have you
heard that NICE plans to assess all 4 emerging MS DMTs in one go; instead of a
single technology appraisal (STA) for each drug there will be a multiple technology
appraisal (MTA)?
The drugs
concerned are teriflunomide, BG12, laquinimod and alemtuzumab.
Is this
good or bad news? This will depend on whether you are keen to get access to
these drugs sooner than later.
According
to NICE the STA process is much shorter than the MTA process; an MTA takes ~50
weeks from official invitation to participate to publication of the FAD,
compared to ~34 weeks for the average STA – a 4 month delay.
Are you
prepared to wait an extra year to access these therapies?
These
figures don’t include the potential delays that may result at the European
Medicine Agency level in relation to the licensing of the products.
All in all
this is not good news for MSers wanting to access to these oral therapies or alemtuzumab.
I can see
why NICE are doing this; STAs will create a lot more work. I also hope that
this process does not disadvantage any of the more effective products?
What do you think?