NICE (Single) Technology Appraisal Guidance No 133 – Omalizumab for severe persistent allergic asthma
The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) published advice on this medication for this indication following a second resubmission in October 2007:
Omalizumab (Xolair®) is accepted for restricted use within NHS Scotland as add-on therapy to improve asthma control in adult and adolescent patients (12 years of age and above) with severe persistent allergic asthma.
It is restricted to initiation and monitoring by hospital physicians experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of severe persistent asthma. It is restricted to patients who are prescribed chronic systemic steroids and in whom all other treatments have failed. The response to omalizumab treatment should be assessed in all patients at 16 weeks and treatment should be discontinued in patients who have not shown a marked improvement in overall asthma control.
Access the advice of the Scottish Medicines Consortium
In this case, there is no material difference between the NICE STA and the SMC recommendation.
NHSScotland should note that:
1. NHS Boards should continue to adhere to the SMC advice.
2. The new NICE single technology appraisal process is being monitored by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, Scottish Government Health Directorates and SMC for a period of time. During this period recommendations of NICE STAs will be only for noting by NHS Scotland in the knowledge that SMC have already issued advice on the medicine which NHSScotland should follow.
3. Hard copies of NICE appraisals are available from NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (contact Shonagh Buchanan, tel 0141 225 6993 or email shonagh.buchanan@nhs.net).