Health Minister Mike O’Brien and Science and Innovation Minister Lord Drayson have launched a consultation into a scheme that would help NHS patients obtain new drugs not on the NHS prescribing list.

The Office for Life Sciences’ (OLS) Blueprint of the government’s proposed ‘Innovation Pass’ pilot was published in July. The scheme is designed for patients with ‘rarer’ diseases who would be given access to innovative drugs not yet assessed for efficacy and ‘value for money’ by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE).

The small number of patients taking such drugs means that data on their effectiveness is limited. During the three-year pilot scheme, the Innovation Pass will allow doctors to collect valuable data on the impact of new drugs on patients – as well as their cost effectiveness. This will help NICE eventually make an appraisal for wider use of the drugs in the NHS.

The pilot will be funded from a ring-fenced £25 million budget in 2010-11, set aside exclusively for the Innovation Pass. Funding for future years is discussed in the consultation. Stakeholders such as the Life Sciences industry and the NHS have contributed financially to the pilot, however.

Health Minister Mike O’Brien said at the launch last week:

‘I am extremely pleased to launch this consultation that will help patients with the greatest need to benefit from and get access to exciting new innovative drugs. The Innovation Pass pilot will help collect the essential data needed to demonstrate that such drugs – which would not otherwise be available to patients – are making a big difference to their lives.

‘I value NICE’s involvement in the pilot from the outset. NICE are recognised as a world leader in the assessment of health technologies – and their involvement in the Innovation Pass process will ensure that the best information is available when assessing which drugs should qualify for the pass.’

Science and Innovation Minister Lord Drayson added:

‘The Innovation Pass is about government working with industry to secure patient and economic benefit. This consultation is a critical milestone for delivering the Office for Life Sciences’ Blueprint.’

 
The Innovation Pass pilot consultation will run until 8 February, 2010. More information about who can contribute is available at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_109236

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