HEDS is part of the School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR) at the University of Sheffield. We undertake research, teaching, training and consultancy on all aspects of health related decision science, with a particular emphasis on health economics, HTA and evidence synthesis.

Monday 21 October 2013

NICE 'yes' to rituximab in vasculitis

Originally a ‘minded no’ in the first appraisal consultation document, NICE has received sufficiently robust analyses from the manufacturer of rituximab (MabThera, Roche Products) to give positive guidance.

More precisely:
“Rituximab is licensed for inducing remission in adults with a type of vasculitis (inflammation of the blood

vessels) called anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody [ANCA]-associated vasculitisi (severely active granulomatosis with polyangiitis [GPA] and microscopic polyangiitis). NICE has recommended rituximab in combination with glucocorticoidsii as an option for this patient group, only if further cyclophosphamideiii treatment would exceed the maximum cumulative cyclophosphamide dose.”

However, it is worth noting that the more robust analysis appears to be a consequence of the manufacturer accepting 14 of the changes to their original submission that were proposed by the Evidence Review Group and endorsed by the Committee.  The ERG was ScHARR-TAG, and as reported previously, their work was of particular note in this appraisal due to the spectacularly different model structure and data sources they suggest should be used. The ScHARR-TAG team were Nick Latimer, Ruth Wong, Paul Tappenden and Chris Carroll. Looks like they were right.

Photo credit: epSos.de via Flickr Creative Commons