The Chief Executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, Ciarán Devane, will join the NHS Commissioning Board Authority as a Non-Executive Director from 1^st January 2012.

Mr Devane will work with the Commissioning Board’s Chair Professor Malcolm Grant in developing the Authority and a new clinical commissioning system.

Mr Grant said the appointment was “great news” and that the new director will be a “strong source of knowledge and advice”.

The NHS Commissioning Board – which will be an independent, statutory body – will officially become operational subject to the Health and Social Care Bill becoming law.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley – who will remain responsible for promoting a comprehensive health service, and retain ultimate accountability for securing the provision of services under the reforms – backed the appointment. “Ciarán Devane has a strong track record of success and a passionate commitment to improving care for patients. I am delighted that he is bringing his unrivalled expertise to this important role. I am confident that he is the right person for the job.”

Mr Devane joined Macmillan as Chief Executive in May 2007. He currently serves as a member of the Cancer Outcomes Strategy Implementation Advisory Group and is a member of the health and work network of the Responsibility Deal. He also co-chairs the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative and sits on the board of the National Cancer Intelligence Network.

John Wilkinson (pictured), Chief Executive of Eucomed, has received a special Career award from the International Vascular and Endovascular Course (IVEC) in Milan.

The award recognises the medtech industry’s contribution to the development of vascular and endovascular surgery.

IVEC Chairman Giorgio Biasi presented the award to John Wilkinson to “honour the excellence of a distinguished scientist and eminent colleague who has contributed enormously in promoting, divulging and spreading culture, development and achievements in the field of vascular and endovascular techniques.”

Following the award presentation, Wilkinson gave the Edmondo Malan Lecture on ‘Development and Achievements in Endovascular Procedures as a Result of a Continuous and Ingenious Co-operation between Physicians and Industry’.

He discussed the long history of collaborative working between clinicians and industry over 200 years, with ideas from doctors and surgeons being developed by companies, culminating in such revolutionary devices as the drug-eluting stent.

Wilkinson also emphasised the need for innovation to be built on a platform of ethical interaction and transparency, and for industry to support education and training in the delivery of new therapies.

Finally, he drew attention to the demographic and economic challenges facing Europe’s health systems, and called for a collaborative approach between all stakeholders to support innovative solutions to these urgent problems.

Eucomed is the leading European medical technology industry association. It represents 4,500 designers, manufacturers and suppliers of medical technologies.

The NHS Commissioning Board has been launched initially in a shadow form.

Known as the NHS Commissioning Board Authority it will operate as an independent body from October 2013 before taking complete control in April 2013.

Sir David Nicholson, Chief Executive of the Board, says that building the new system over the next two years is a “major challenge”.

The Authority will now oversee the establishment of Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) – themselves in shadow form – which, along with the Board, will take on the responsibility for the majority of the NHS budget.

One of the Board’s first tasks will be to assist CCGs in making £20 billion of efficiency savings by 2015, whilst negotiating the new management system in the process.

“I firmly believe that what we are trying to achieve - a stronger, more innovative and more coherent commissioning system - will be critical to sustaining the NHS in years to come,” said Sir David.

Breast cancer screening in the UK is under review following claims that it causes more harm than good.

The review will be led by Professor Mike Richards, National Cancer Director for England, who said he is taking the “current controversy very seriously”.

A recent review of clinical trials has said that for every 2,000 women screened in a 10-year period, one life would be saved, ten healthy women would undergo unnecessary treatment and at least 200 women would face psychological distress due to false positive results.

Susan Bewley, Professor of Complex Obstetrics at King's College London, who has turned down breast cancer screening, said: “The distress of overdiagnosis and decision making when finding lesions that might, or might not, be cancer that might, or might not, require mutilating surgery is increasingly being exposed.”

Screening programmes have helped doctors diagnose cancers earlier, but they also run the risk of false positives.

Breast cancer screening was introduced in the UK in 1988 and now offers tests to women over the age of 50 every three years.

The NHS says that 1,400 lives are saved every year through screening in England alone, and in 2002, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer estimated that screening reduced deaths from breast cancer by about 35%.

Chris Askew, Chief Executive at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: “The earlier breast cancer is picked up the better for the one in eight women who are diagnosed every year with this disease, as treatment options are more likely to be less aggressive and have successful outcomes.”

But Sara Hiom, Director of Health Information at Cancer Research UK, who is leading the review, said: “Women need more accurate, evidence-based and clear information to be able to make an informed choice about breast screening.”

The first advance in the treatment of bone cancer in children and young people in two decades has been recommended in final guidance by NICE.

Takeda’s Mepact (mifamurtide), in combination with postoperative multi-agent chemotherapy, has been made available to the NHS at a reduced cost under an agreed Patient Access Scheme (PAS).

Sir Andrew Dillon, NICE Chief Executive, says for those treated with Mepact “the health benefits continue over the rest of their lives, effectively being a cure”.

The appraisal saw NICE for only the second time in its history clarify its ‘methods guide’ for treatments which can restore health over a long period, and together with the PAS, reduced the cost per QALY of Mepact.

“Following a clarification from the NICE Board on this issue, and in addition to a revised patient access scheme from the manufacturer, the extra cost per unit of health gained that the NHS will pay for mifamurtide is now lower than previously determined, but still above the normal range that is usually accepted,” said Sir Andrew.

“After having looked again very carefully at a number of factors (such the curative potential of the drug for some people and the small patient population) and taking these factors into account, the Committee was able to recommend mifamurtide for osteosarcoma as a cost-effective use of NHS resources.

“Today’s recommendation of mifamurtide will help children and young people with this very painful and distressing disease, as well as providing some for hope for them, and the people caring for them.”

NICE initially failed to recommend the treatment in an FAD published in October last year. However, after the revision to its methods guide and the proposed PAS, Yasuhiro Fukutomi, Managing Director of Takeda UK, says the company is delighted with the outcome.

“We are grateful to all those who have been involved in this long process including those at NICE, the Department of Health, physicians and patient organisations,” he said. “It has taken everyone’s collaboration to lead us to this successful conclusion for osteosarcoma patients today.”

Mepact was recommended by NICE in draft guidance in September and was approved for use in Scotland in August 2011.

The UK’s blood transfusion service’s testing of new IT projects could save the NHS £40 million while also improving supplies to hospitals, the Department of Health has predicted.

The DH’s review of the NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) service recommends pilot schemes to improve service in 2012, starting with an online ordering service system for hospitals.

New pilot schemes to be established in the next year will explore a potential national integrated blood stock system and automatic replenishment systems, along with integrated transfusion laboratories.

Lynda Hamlyn, Chief Executive of NHSBT, said: “We are working in partnership with trusts to identify ways we can better improve the management of blood and blood products within hospitals – so that we make best use of the voluntary donations from our 1.4 million donors.”

At least one of the new initiatives is likely to be centred around the “electronic blood transfusion service” at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. The system uses a combination of barcodes, wireless connectivity and handheld computers to improve the quality of patient care.

The system connects patients to blood products using sensors and scanners, tracking blood supplies between hospital laboratories and wards, improving transfusion accuracy and safety.

According to the DH, the service costs John Radcliffe £350k each year, but saves them £400k a year by reducing the amount of blood required, and a further £500k through less nursing time needed to handle the blood.

The DH noted that the system may not be appropriate for every NHS Trust, but it should be considered as good practice.

Hamlyn added: “We plan to pilot a number of different models in the coming year and are confident we can improve performance and deliver further efficiencies to reinvest in frontline patient care.”

European medtech industry association Eucomed will launch a conference pre-vetting system in early 2012 to assess all third-party educational conferences and congresses sponsored by its members.

The new system is the first of its kind in the healthcare industry, because its assessments will be binding.

The independent Eucomed Compliance Panel will assess educational events for compliance with the association’s Code of Ethical Business Practice in relation to such factors as scientific content, location and venue.

Each outcome will be made publicly available via a dedicated website, and relevant stakeholders will be notified.

The Eucomed Code allows member companies to sponsor third-party educational events such as medical congresses, seminars and training courses, subject to restrictions. Until now, members had to establish their compliance independently. The new system will apply a uniform compliance determination process to all Eucomed members.

“The conference pre-vetting system is a unique initiative in the healthcare sector,” said John McLoughlin, Chairman of the Compliance Panel. “It will be supervised solely by our Panel, which is a completely independent body. Eucomed members are required to follow the assessments.

“If a conference receives a negative assessment, Eucomed members may not sponsor either the conference or individual healthcare professionals who wish to attend the conference.”

John Wilkinson, Eucomed’s Chief Executive, added that the new system “is not only necessary for our members in their day-to-day activities but is also key to increasing the consistency and transparency of industry behaviour.”

Eucomed intends to give key stakeholders an opportunity to comment on the assessment criteria.

The pre-vetting system will begin as a pilot and be reviewed 6–12 months after its launch. It will be the sole responsibility of the Compliance Panel.

Eucomed represents 22,500 designers, manufacturers and suppliers of medical technologies in Europe.

NICE has failed to recommend Bristol-Myers Squibb’s (BMS) Yervoy (ipilimumab) for advanced melanoma, deeming its £80,000 price tag too costly.

NICE’s Appraisal Committee based its decision on clinical data that suggested the drug could be very effective for a small percentage of patients with advanced skin cancer who have received prior chemotherapy – but it was unknown how long this effect would last.

Sir Andrew Dillon, Chief Executive of NICE said: “We need to be sure that new treatments provide sufficient benefits to patients to justify the significant cost the NHS is being asked to pay.”

Clinical specialists said that approximately 30% of people treated with the medicine would have improved survival, with 10% potentially experiencing long-term benefits.

Sir Andrew added: “Unfortunately, no patient characteristics or biomarkers have yet been identified to help identify this small group of people most likely to gain long-term benefit from receiving ipilimumab.”

The Committee also cited that Yervoy is associated with a number of adverse reactions including diarrhoea, rash, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, and abdominal pain.

BMS expressed its disappointment at NICE’s rejection, and have stated it will submit further evidence “in the hope that NICE will reconsider this decision so that all patients with metastatic melanoma can access this potentially life‐extending treatment”.

“In a deadly disease with no standard of care, where inclusion in a clinical trial has been considered one of the few treatment options available to patients, Yervoy represents a significant innovation in treatment,” said Amadou Diarra, European Vice President and General Manager at BMS UK.

Dr Pippa Corrie, Consultant Medical Oncologist at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, commented: “Treatment for metastatic melanoma is a huge unmet need, with many patients facing a life expectancy of 6‐9 months. It is essential that we all work to avoid any negative impact on facilitating patient access to this drug. Our patients have waited too long already.”

Consultees are now able to comment on the preliminary recommendations which are available for public consultation. The manufacturer will be able to reduce the acquisition cost of £80,000 to the NHS for ipilimumab by proposing a Patient Access Scheme.

BMS gained approval to market Yervoy in the US in March 2011, with an approval from the European Commission in July. The drug was launched in the UK in August 2011, becoming the first licensed treatment for advanced skin cancer since the 1970s.

There are approximately 40,000 deaths worldwide from skin cancer, with the number of cases predicted to double from 138,000 a year to 227,000 by 2019.

Bolton-based medical consumables company Vernacare has emphasised the importance of teamwork and partnership for their development of the world’s first pulp wash bowl, which won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2011.

The Vernacare wash bowl (pictured) is used by hospitals in more than 270 NHS Trusts and across the globe for patient care, wound and continence care, hand washing and surface cleaning.

In a study reported in the BMJ, Vernacare’s wash bowls were among a package of measures that led to a 50% fall in cases of C. difficile at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust over 12 months.

Karen Haslam, Chief Executive of Vernacare (pictured, left), praised the company’s team and the clinicians who had helped them to develop and trial the product. “We developed our single-use wash bowl in response to customer demand,” she said. “Nurses told us they were concerned that re-using plastic wash bowls without properly cleaning and drying was a significant infection risk.

Vernacare’s previous pulp products were permeable to warm soapy water, she added. “This was a major challenge that took our in-house team two years of painstaking research and trial and error to overcome.”

Heather Dakin, Senior Nurse Infection Control at Colchester Hospital, said of the product: “Nursing staff found that they had more time for patient care and didn’t have to worry about decontaminating plastic bowls. They also found that wards looked much tidier as the pulp can be stacked on racking provided by Vernacare rather than hanging from lockers or beds collecting dust.”

Vernacare provides single-use pulp products for patient waste management and a macerator for disposal. The products are used in over 90% of UK hospitals and more than 50 countries.

The photo shows Karen Haslam and Maria Sinfield of Royal Bolton Hospital with the Queen’s Award.

The medtech industry must focus on meeting the cost-efficiency and health outcome needs of health systems through a value-based innovation strategy, according to a new report from industry association Eucomed.

The European medical technology industry association launched its five-year industry strategy report ‘Contract for a Healthy Future’ at the MedTech Forum in Brussels, outlining the industry’s role in guiding healthcare systems towards a sustainable future.

Eucomed called on the medtech industry to change its business model and mindset, but also called on healthcare payers and policy-makers to embrace the concept of value-based innovation.

A report from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), sponsored by Eucomed, opened the MedTech Forum. ‘Future-proofing Western Europe’s healthcare’ examined how healthcare systems need to change in order to square the circle of growing demand and tighter budgets.

The EIU report argued that Europe’s healthcare systems need to become more efficient, effective, integrated and informed. The medtech industry can support these developments with evidence-based technologies – providing not just the technologies but the evidence base to support their implementation.

The Eucomed report emphasised that the medtech industry needs to change and will deliver and demonstrate solutions to meet the cost-efficiency and health outcome needs of payers and policymakers in order to ensure sustainable, accessible healthcare and healthy ageing for the population.

However, Eucomed emphasised, other healthcare stakeholders must also reconsider their role: for value-based innovation to have full impact, policy-makers must develop better cost models and abandon silo-based budgeting, while payers must prioritise value – in terms of productivity and efficiency – rather than price.

“We have to rethink our healthcare systems in Europe and steer them back onto a sustainable path,” said Eucomed Chairman Guy Lebeau (pictured below). “As an industry, innovation has always been at the heart of what we do. But the future will demand a different kind of innovative thinking from all stakeholders in our economies. We will take the first step and deliver value-based innovations that deliver a demonstrable positive return on investment in healthy life years for citizens.”

John Wilkinson, Chief Executive of Eucomed, added: “It is short-sighted to cut back on medical technologies when health budgets are squeezed, especially when you consider that 70% of health spending is consumed by personnel and hospital organisation. Compare that with medical technology which accounts for less than 5%.

“If the industry delivers its promise and enables healthcare systems to become more productive and efficient, governments should reward us and invest in the right technologies.”

More information on these ideas can be found on a dedicated website, Reforming Healthcare in Europe, launched by Eucomed.

Eucomed represents 22,500 designers, manufacturers and suppliers of medical technologies. SMEs make up more than 80% of this sector.

Guy Lebeau