NICE issues draft updates for type 2 diabetes medicine appraisals

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has released draft updates for four type 2 diabetes medicine technology appraisals: tirzepatide, ertugliflozin, empagliflozin, and canagliflozin. These updates aim to align medicine recommendations with NICE’s recently revised guidelines for adults.

This initiative marks the first test of the ‘whole lifecycle approach’ programme, designed to synchronize different types of guidance and reduce inconsistencies. Under this approach, a panel determined that evidence previously reviewed for type 2 diabetes guidelines could be utilized for these appraisals, removing the need for new evidence submissions for each specific medicine.

Additionally, NICE is withdrawing four appraisals regarding specific uses of dapagliflozin and other SGLT-2 inhibitors. Because dapagliflozin is no longer under patent, its use will now be covered by broader group recommendations for SGLT-2 inhibitors. The revised guidelines recommend the least expensive suitable SGLT-2 inhibitor for patients.