The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is scoping out health technology appraisals on both belatacept and everolimus for the prevention of rejection in kidney transplantation. Belatacept is a protein drug which has in clinical trials been compared to ciclosporin or tacrolimus to prevent organ rejection and everolimus is a “anti-fibrotic” drug, an analogue of sirolimus. Everolimus is intended for use in combination with ciclosporin and corticosteroids and as a substitute for other anti-proliferative agents.
The questions for consultation are:
- Have the most appropriate comparators for belatacept for renal transplantation been included in the scope?
- Are there any subgroups of patients in whom the technology is expected to be more clinically effective and cost effective or other groups that should be examined separately?
- Are there any issues that require special attention in light of the duty to have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination and promote equality?NICE intends to appraise this technology through its Single Technology Appraisal (STA) Process. We welcome comments on the appropriateness of appraising this topic through this process. (Information on the Institute’s Technology Appraisal processes is available here
