Med Tech-related technology assessments from NICE in the second half of July 2017

The following technology assessments were released by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in second two weeks of July 2017:

Medtech Innovation Briefings for FebriDx (a rapid point‑of‑care immunoassay test that detects raised levels of C‑reactive protein (CRP) and Myxovirus resistance protein A (MxA) in peripheral whole blood), Absorb Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold system (a drug-eluting bioresorbable stent used for widening narrowed coronary arteries), Aquilion PRIME CT scanner and Somatom Definition Edge CT scanner (CT scanners that can be used for computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA), to diagnose or evaluate coronary artery disease non‑invasively in people with conditions that make it difficult to obtain good‑quality CTCA images).

MedTech Innovation Briefing is the NICE's advice program for innovative technologies. It provides an overview of clinical effectiveness, safety and cost. It does not offer a formal guidance and it therefore does not provide any recommendations.

Diagnostic Guidance for new quantitative faecal immunochemical tests  (OC Sensor, HM‑JACKarc and FOB Gold) has been published.  These tests are recommended for adoption in primary care to guide referral for suspected colorectal cancer in people without rectal bleeding who have unexplained symptoms but do not meet the criteria for a suspected cancer pathway referral outlined in NICE's Clinical Guideline on suspected cancer. However, NICE currently does not recommend the routine adoption of the RIDASCREEN haemoglobin or the RIDASCREEN haemoglobin/haptoglobin assay due to lack of enough evidence.

Interventional Procedures Guidance for the following procedures:

• Laparoscopic insertion of a magnetic titanium ring for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: NICE recommends this procedure to be used only with special arrangements for clinical governance, consent, and audit or research due to limited evidence of short-term efficacy and inadequate evidence of long-term efficacy;
• Transcatheter aortic valve implantation for aortic stenosis: NICE supports the use of this procedure because current evidence on the safety and efficacy is adequate to recommend this procedure provided that standard arrangements are in place for clinical governance, consent and audit, including criteria for patient selection and conditions of application the procedure;
• Hysteroscopic sterilisation by insertion of intrafallopian implants: NICE supports the use of this procedure because current evidence on the safety and efficacy is adequate to recommend this procedure provided that standard arrangements are in place for clinical governance, consent and audit, including criteria for patient selection and conditions of application the procedure.

An Interventional Procedure Guidance is developed for most of the novel interventional procedures entering the English market. The program focuses solely on clinical evidence. Recommendations may vary from ‘for research only’ to ‘for use with standard arrangements for clinical governance, consent and audit’. Recommendations are not binding, although they are followed by providers and commissioners.

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