NICE Sets Conditions for Using Drug-Eluting Stents

The UK’s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is recommending that drug-eluting stents (DESs) be restricted to patients with coronary artery disease who would be at a high risk of future interventions if a conventional bare-metal stent were used instead. NICE first issued the guidance in February. Stentmaker Cordis appealed it in March, arguing that the agency was trying to fix or control the price of the stents or establish procurement policy for the UK’s National Health Service. Following its denial of Cordis’ appeal, NICE reissued a final guidance that provides information on specific DESs, the drugs they elute and their individual costs.