The first draft guidance from the new NICE medical technologies evaluation programme has been issued for consultation.
NICE has made a provisional positive recommendation for the use of the SeQuent Please balloon catheter to treat restenosis following the insertion of bare-metal coronary artery stents.
SeQuent Please from B.Braun is used for balloon angioplasty and local delivery of paclitaxel to relieve angina symptoms and reduce the risk of further restenosis.
The draft guidance comes from the new Evaluation Pathway Programme for Medical Technologies, and was produced by the Medical Technologies Advisory Committee (MTAC).
MTAC recommended that SeQuent should be considered for use:
• in patients with in-stent restenosis in bare-metal coronary artery stents, and with other types of stent in patients where the clinician wishes to minimise the use of antiplatelet drugs
• in patients in whom it is technically difficult to insert more stents.
The evaluation concluded that the SeQuent Please balloon catheter could reduce the number of cases requiring further treatment for restenosis. It advised further research to confirm this benefit in the long term.
Dr Carole Longson, Director of the NICE Centre for Health Technology Evaluation, said: “We’re delighted to open the consultation on the first draft guidance produced by the new Medical Technologies Advisory Committee (MTAC). We look forward to receiving comments on our provisional recommendations from health professionals, industry and patient groups to help inform the development of this guidance.”
The consultation will run until 2 August 2010, and final guidance is expected in October 2010.
SeQuent Please