The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) will consider the cost of genomic testing in its evaluations of medicines and technologies, a new agreement between NICE and NHS England has set out.

Future NICE guidance should include an evaluation of the costs for new or expanded genomic testing that is required to inform the use of a specific medicine, the agreement said.

Related Article: Poor co-ordination across NHS for long-term conditions ‘harming patients’

And genomic testing recommended in NICE clinical guidelines or HealthTech guidance will be taken forward for consideration of national commissioning by NHS England.

The agreement between NICE and NHS England, published this month, also noted that 'where NHS genomic testing services and infrastructure have yet to be established, implementation of such medicines [that require genetic testing] may inadvertently cause inequity of access'.

Related Article: New NHS vision for antimicrobial stewardship focuses on digital solutions

In evaluating costs of genetic testing, NICE will consider the cost of:

  • delivering testing and associated consumables
  • routine implementation of testing (staff time, laboratory space)
  • the NHS GMS infrastructure to support testing

And it will develop a cost framework that considers these factors for genetic testing (including single gene and panel based) that will be used consistently across NICE.

Read more about the NICE and NHS England genomic testing agreement.

A pharmacogenetics pilot supported by pharmacists working within general practice resulted in medicines changes for 25% of participating patients.

Related Article: Pharmacists write just 1.5% of fit notes since reforms introduced

Jessica Keen, pharmacy lead at the NHS North West Genomic Medicines Service Alliance, who worked on the study, commented that genomic testing could have 'a huge impact' on the health system, patients and their families by improving the effectiveness of medications and preventing avoidable adverse drug reactions.