A special World Health Organisation team has praised the groundbreaking work of NICE but has called for its dealing with industry to be more transparent.

The review, undertaken by a panel of international experts, said NICE has developed a ell deserved reputation for innovation and methodological developmentsof international importance, but also suggested a number of areas for improvement.

Kees de Joncheere, Regional Advisor for Health Technology and Pharmaceuticals in WHO Europe office and leader of the review team said NICE had set new standards in stakeholder involvement and transparency, but could go further.

"To gain access to key information NICE also accepts material designated as confidential. In the main, this comes from the pharmaceutical industry. While we welcome the steps they have taken to push these boundaries with the industry, NICE should reconcile this inherent contradiction," he said

"We encourage NICE to use its leverage to further advance transparency in this area, which would also be of international benefit."

ABPI Director General Dr Trevor Jones welcomed the report, and said that the industry was already discussing how to make its work with NICE more transparent, but said some confidentiality must remain.

"During the 10-12 years that it takes to develop a single new medicine, clinical data are generated that will be the subject of publication, but it is not appropriate that they are disclosed prematurely," he said.

Dr Jones said that it was nimpressivethat the review had so many more recommendations to make after the House of Commons Health Select Committee had conducted its own major review of NICE just over a year ago.

The WHO report also recommended NICE clarify the terms of membership for its Appraisal Committee, and develop a handbook on the preparation of assessment reports.

The report, commissioned by NICE at a cost of £58,000, also recommends that consultation meetings become a formal 'Preliminary Exchange of Evidence' when all stakeholders should provide details of what they propose to submit. Then, only in extraordinary circumstances, should NICE accept information over and above that declared at this meeting.

A review of NICE's timeframes was also recommended, along with a method of demonstrating the relative importance placed on clinical evidence, economic evidence and other factors, such as equity and social values.

Professor Sir Michael Rawlins, Chair of NICE, said: "The Board is gratified that, overall, the report considers that NICE approaches and methodologies are robust."

"The report makes helpful suggestions about how our processes and procedures might be enhanced, and the Board will give this careful consideration."

NICE will include the findings in the current consultation review of its appraisal process and methodology, which is due to close on 26 September.

pharmafocus@pharmafile.co.uk