Crohn’s & Colitis UK strongly welcomes this positive near-final decision, especially as NICE has reviewed their position in light of a public consultation process. Interim guidance had completely ruled out this treatment for people with Crohn’s Disease.
Getting access to the right treatments, at the right time is essential to the well being of all patients. Once finalised, NICE’s decision will give people with Crohn’s Disease a vital additional option when all else has failed. This could make a fundamental difference in enabling them to get on with their lives. We very much welcome this significant development, as well as other recent NICE recommendations for treatments for Ulcerative Colitis. It is now critical that people can get the approved treatments they need as soon as possible and are fully supported in making informed choices about what is best for them.
David Barker, Chief Executive, Crohn’s & Colitis UK
I am delighted that NICE has approved vedolizumab in their draft guidance - the drug has been positively life changing for me, with no side effects, and now gives lots of Crohns' sufferers another option. As a patient expert and observer, I hugely admire the professionals in this appraisal process. I am extremely grateful to NICE for making this positive decision and to Crohn's & Colitis UK for introducing me to this project and for their ongoing support.
Paula Battersby, Patient Expert on the appraisal
There is a now an appeal period, with final guidance due to be published later in the year. Once final guidance is published, the NHS in England and Wales must comply with this within 3 months. This means that, if a patient has Crohn’s Disease and the doctor responsible for their care thinks that vedolizumab is the right treatment, it should be available for use, in line with NICE’s recommendations. NICE guidance is subject to a local review process in Northern Ireland which begins when the final draft guidance is issued.
A decision is currently awaited from the Scottish Medicines Consortium in relation to the use of vedolizumab as a treatment option for Crohn’s Disease in Scotland.
Vedolizumab was approved in February this year as an option for the treatment of Ulcerative Colitis.
