| Status | In progress |
| Technology type | Device |
| Decision | Selected |
| Reason for decision | Anticipate the topic will be of importance to patients, carers, professionals, commissioners and the health of the public to ensure clinical benefit is realised, inequalities in use addressed, and help them make the best use of NHS resources |
| Further information | Anticipate the topic will be of importance to patients, carers, professionals, commissioners and the health of the public to ensure clinical benefit is realised, inequalities in use addressed, and help them make the best use of NHS resources |
| Description | Topical antimicrobial dressings are dressings that include an antimicrobial agent which is applied directly to the skin and aims to inhibit or kill the growth of micro-organisms, to reduce infection. For local wound infections, a topical antimicrobial dressing can be used to reduce the level of bacteria at the wound surface. Antimicrobial agents may be antifungals, antivirals, antiseptics and antibiotics. The agents which they use vary, including medical grade honey, dressings impregnated with iodine, dressings containing silver as well as polyhexanide or dialkylcarbamoyl chloride. The way in which they work varies with some dressings designed to release the antimicrobial into the wound, whilst others act upon the bacteria after absorption from the wound. Dressings are available in a variety of sizes with different features such as adhesive or non-adhesive functionality. NICE is scoping for an assessment on antimicrobial dressings, as part of a pilot called late-stage assessment (LSA). LSA aims to assess technologies that are in widespread or established use in the NHS. Over time, technologies often undergo continuous or incremental innovation and adaptation. LSA will assess if the value added by incremental innovation justifies any price variation. |
Provisional Schedule
| Committee meeting: 1 | 16 January 2025 |
| Draft guidance | 17 February 2025 - 10 March 2025 |
| Committee meeting: 2 | 20 March 2025 |
| Resolution | 22 April 2025 |
| Expected publication | 22 May 2025 |
Project Team
| Project lead | Elizabeth Islam |
Email enquiries
- If you have any queries please email lsa@nice.org.uk
| External Assessment Group | Centre for Reviews and Dissemination and Centre for Health Economics, University of York |
Timeline
Key events during the development of the guidance:
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| 26 July 2024 | Scope published |
| 07 May 2024 | In progress |
| 07 May 2024 | Launch |