NICE was asked by the Department of Health (DH) to develop guidance on the prevention of cardiovascular disease at the population level. The scope is available from the NICE website.

All registered stakeholders are now invited to comment on the evidence that has been assembled to inform the development of this guidance. This evidence is being used by the Programme Development Group (PDG) on CVD to develop draft recommendations. The evidence comprises a series of reviews of effectiveness, a cost effectiveness analysis and other types of reviews.

Key areas for comment

The aim of this consultation is to enable stakeholders to consider the evidence gathered and to provide the opportunity to comment, in particular on:

• major gaps in the evidence gathered, including papers in the published literature that we have not been able to identify
• queries around the interpretation of the evidence, both of single studies and the reviewed material as a whole
• the applicability of the evidence and its usefulness for the development of guidance
• issues relating to cost-effectiveness

Registered stakeholders are also invited to submit relevant additional evidence for consideration. In order for NICE to be able to produce guidance in a timely fashion, materials should be:

• relevant to the questions set out in the scope document
• currently not included in the evidence reviews
• provided as a PDF or electronic link to an accessible version of the complete document.

(If it is not possible to submit additional evidence electronically, please contact the Project Co-ordinator to make alternative arrangements)

Any material submitted by stakeholders during this consultation will be assessed for its relevance using NICE's standard methods, as set out in the 'Methods for development of NICE public health guidance' available on the NICE website. Relevant material will be included in a supplementary report to the PDG

The consultation on this evidence will run from 12 May – 10 June 2009.

Please provide all responses to this consultation on the of evidence electronically using the Stakeholder Comments Form (ensuring all relevant fields are completed, including your organisation's name) and forward this, along with any additional evidence you are submitting, by 5pm on Wednesday 10 June 2009 at the very latest to the following email address:cardiovascular@nice.org.uk

The Institute is unable to accept:

• More than one response per stakeholder organisation
• Comments received after the consultation deadline
• Comments that are not on the correct proforma
• Confidential information or other material that you would not wish to be made public

What will happen to your comments

• All comments (with the exception of personal, individual comments and late comments) will be sent to the project team at the end of the consultation
• Comments from registered stakeholders will be formally responded to by the project team and posted on the NICE website after the final guidance is published.
• No action will be taken upon receipt of personal, individual comments and late comments.

PLEASE NOTE: The Institute reserves the right to summarise and edit comments received during consultations, or not to publish them at all, where in the reasonable opinion of the Institute, the comments are voluminous, publication would be unlawful or publication would be otherwise inappropriate.