ABPI slams NICE International
pharmafile | August 20, 2012 | News story | Sales and Marketing | ABPI, NICE, NICE International, Romania, hta
The ABPI has expressed concerns over the remit of NICE International and its affect on global markets.
NICE International is an offshoot of the main organisation and was set up in 2008 – its raison d’être is to help other countries adopt HTA methods, particularly lower income countries.
NICE decided to set up this not-for-profit division in response to requests from policymakers in other countries for guidance and help on using HTA, but this has irked many in the pharma industry.
In a letter seen by InPharm Stephen Whitehead, chief executive of the ABPI, expressed concern at how NICE International was affecting markets outside the UK.
Writing to the health secretary Andrew Lansley, Whitehead was particularly concerned about its activities in Romania.
He wrote that the body had made recommendations to make substantial cuts to the most commonly prescribed drugs in the country, which he says is beyond its remit and will have “significant impact across the EU due to the single market”.
The Department for International Development recently announced that it would fund 70% of NICE International’s costs for the next three years, meaning it will be around for the foreseeable future.
Whitehead said that the ABPI supports the export of HTA expertise, but added: “We absolutely do not support projects such as that undertaken in Romania where spurious methodology has been used to fundamentally undermine the value of medicines, many of which are exported from Britain.”
NICE International was making “less than helpful headlines with global industry chief executives” he added.
He is now asking the government to re-consider the role of NICE International and its recent funding boost.
He also points out that the use of a body such as NICE International is not supportive of the UK’s economic growth agenda, and copied in the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne and the Secretary for Business, Innovation and Skills, Vince Cable in his letter to make the point.
NICE International-pharma conflict
Speaking to InPharm earlier this year Kalipso Chalkidou, director of NICE International, said the body’s purpose was to help poorer countries, rather than to undermine pharma.
She said that it: “Wasn’t not good enough that poor countries that cannot afford drugs are having to go without, or sell their houses to try and stay alive and pay for drugs”.
Pharma must engage, must be more consistent and committed to help funding in these middle-lower income countries and their governments, she said, adding that there needs to be a centralised process for this to happen, rather than having some companies helping and others not.
She said that pharma would look to work with HTA authorities and governments for a short-term gain, but perhaps not stay around for the long-term, which will not help the poor in these countries.
Ben Adams
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