The UK government has proposed assuming direct control over the cost-effectiveness thresholds used by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the body responsible for assessing the value of medicines and medical technologies.
The proposal applies to both pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Under the proposal, responsibility for setting the threshold would move from NICE’s independent board to government ministers, altering the governance framework used to assess, price, and adopt technologies within the NHS, including diagnostic tools and surgical implants.
For more than 20 years, NICE has used a cost-effectiveness threshold of £20,000 to £30,000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY).
This threshold has been used to inform decisions on whether treatments, including medical devices, provide sufficient health benefit relative to their cost. Under the proposed arrangement, the threshold would increase to £25,000 to £35,000 per QALY.
An increase in the threshold would change the criteria against which medical devices are assessed and could affect the number of technologies that meet NICE’s cost-effectiveness requirements.
Members can provide their views on the Government’s proposal through this consultation, which closes on 13th January 2026. We urge members to send their consultation responses to ben.kemp@bivda.org.uk to ensure their inclusion in a sector-wide response.
