Medicines that can extend the life of terminally ill patients are more likely to be endorsed for use by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence following the approval of a set of new rules for NICE's appraisal committees.The measures,which came into force at the beginning of this week,mean that NICE can provide its independent advisory bodies with additional advice when they are asked to make recommendations on the use of medicines for treating certain rare conditions that extend life at the end of life.The committees will be asked to consider whether,by applying a factor that recognises the special benefit of life extending treatments for patients with only a short amount of life left to them,the extra cost of the treatment is justified.
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