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Originator: CMO Messaging

From: CMO Messaging

Issue date: Originally issued on 29-Mar-2023 15:20:04. This version was issued on 29-Mar-2023 15:20:04

This alert has been issued to:
  • MHRA (Medicines) Drug Alerts (Various Recipients)
  • Other contacts
  • Independent Healthcare Providers (registered with CAS)
  • Clinical Commissioning Groups
  • NHS Regional Offices
  • NHS Foundation Trusts (England) - Medical Director
  • NHS Foundation Trusts (England) - Chief Executive
  • Special Health Authorities
  • NHS Trusts (England) - Medical Director
  • CMO Urgent Messages - Non-NHS Recipients on Public Health Link
  • MHRA (Medicines) Drug Alerts - Non-NHS Recipients
  • Territorial CMOs in Northern Ireland, Scotland & Wales
  • Regional Directors of Public Health
  • Consultants in Communicable Diseases
  • CMO Urgent Messages - Recipients on Public Health Link
  • Director of Public Health
  • NHS Trusts (England) - Chief Executive
  • GP - Locum
  • NHS 111 and Out of hours providers
  • GP Practices
  • Community Pharmacy
  • Primary Care Networks
  • GP Practices 1

Action category: Action

Title: Publication of NICE Multiple Technology Appraisal (MTA) - Treatment Recommendations for COVID-19

Broadcast content:
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published positive COVID-19 treatment recommendations for nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (Paxlovid), sotrovimab (Xevudy) and tocilizumab (RoActemra) as part of its final multiple technology appraisal (MTA) guidance for licensed COVID-19 treatments. These recommendations now supersede the relevant UK-wide interim clinical access policies determined under pandemic-specific governance arrangements.

The published MTA also includes a recommendation against the use of casirivimab plus imdevimab (Ronapreve), not currently in use in the UK. 

Appeals have been lodged against NICE’s draft MTA recommendations by the manufacturers of molnupiravir (Lagevrio), remdesivir (Veklury) and tixagevimab plus cilgavimab (Evusheld).  Final recommendations for these treatments are therefore now not expected to be published until later in 2023, once the appeal procedures have been concluded. In the meantime, access to these medicines can be guided by NICE’s COVID-19 Rapid Guideline.

A separate technology appraisal is underway in relation to Evusheld as prophylaxis.

Baricitinib and sarilumab fall outside of the scope of the MTA as off-label treatment options, and access to these medicines will therefore be subject to local decision making.



Additional information: NHS England Regions: please cascade this alert to Community Pharmacy.

Alert reference: CEM/CMO/2023/001

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