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<p>Discussions about managed access agreements for technologies undergoing assessment
by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) are rightly held between
NHS England as an independent body and the manufacturer concerned. Departmental officials
play no role in such discussions, but are in regular contact with NICE and NHS England
colleagues about a range of issues, including progress in discussions about a potential
managed access agreement for Spinraza (nusinersen) for the treatment of spinal muscular
atrophy. Ministers have also held meetings with Biogen, NICE and NHS England on a
number of occasions, at which the availability of Spinraza was discussed.</p><p> </p><p>NHS
England and NICE have made stakeholders and the public aware of the outcome of its
appraisal committee meeting of 8 May and NICE is now able to recommend the use of
Spinraza for NHS patients in England, subject to a managed access agreement agreed
between NHS England and Biogen which makes Spinraza available to children with the
most severe form of spinal muscular atrophy available with immediate effect. NICE’s
Appraisal Committee’s considerations and recommendations will be contained in the
final appraisal document which will be published in due course, with final guidance
expected in June 2019.</p>
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