Medical Technologies Evaluation Programme

Manufacturers, distributors and agents

If you are interested in getting a health technology evaluated by NICE you should ensure that the product is registered with the NHS Innovation Service. That will ensure that it is considered in the round by NICE when they are identifying topics for appraisal/guidance.

NICE is working with system partners to assess priority areas for technology evaluations and reviews technologies submitted to the Innovation Service on a regular basis. Should the technology, once submitted, map over to a relevant priority area in the future, NICE will contact you as a stakeholder in the process.

Find out more about topic selection. 

A technology can only be selected if it meets the eligibility criteria and:

• it offers substantial benefits to patients or the health and care system compared with current practice
• the benefits are plausible, clearly described, easily understood and supported by evidence
• developing guidance would mean faster and more consistent adoption of the technology.

Eligibility criteria

1. The technology must be suitable for development under one of our guidance programmes, and not currently in development.
2. It must be a new technology, or an innovative modification of an existing technology, which will have benefits to the patient or the NHS when judged against comparators.
3. The technology must have appropriate UK, CA or CE marks (or equivalent regulatory approval) or be expected to get one within 12 months.
4. Digital products must have national DTAC or be working towards this within 12 months.
The technology must also be available to the NHS, or have plans to be launched in the NHS.

Types of guidance and advice

Notified medical technologies are usually developed as one of the following:

• medical technologies guidance
• diagnostics guidance.