3C Patch for treating diabetic foot ulcers

1.1 3C Patch is not recommended as a cost-saving option for diabetic foot ulcers.

Why the committee made these recommendations

Diabetic foot ulcers are treated by reducing pressure on the ulcer, removing damaged tissue, controlling poor blood flow and using dressings, including UrgoStart or other advanced dressings. The 3C Patch system uses a person's own blood to create a biological patch that promotes wound healing. It is intended to be used for diabetic foot ulcers that have not healed after 4 weeks of treatment.

The clinical evidence on ulcers that are not healing shows that using 3C Patch led to more ulcers healing at 20 weeks and faster ulcer healing. However, there were uncertainties around whether the evidence would generalise to current NHS practice because of how and when the treatment would be used. Cost analysis also showed that the clinical benefits seen in the trial are unlikely to lead to cost savings in practice. Therefore, 3C Patch cannot be recommended.