Is evidence just a NICE to have in med tech? Leave a comment
Evidence isn’t just a nice to have, it is crucial, as reflected recently by the ABHI:
“The covid-19 crisis has demonstrated the critical role HealthTech plays in the protection and treatment of our citizens. Never has the value, rather than the price of technology, been so well appreciated, and the outcomes achieved by using technology to deliver care been so highly prized[1].”
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In the UK, one in seven adults are affected by constipation,[2] research shows chronic constipation is causing people to suffer in silence, leading to 76,929 hospital admissions in 2018-19 and costing over £100m a year[3]. Whilst effective bowel management is imperative for these individuals, bowel dysfunction poses a significant health burden.
When Coloplast’s transanal irrigation device received NICE guidance (Feb 2018) only 35 devices had received this level of endorsement at the time. Fast forward to June 2022, the guidance has been updated and recognises both the improvements in the product and the enhanced cost savings that the NHS could make adopting Peristeen® Plus as part of a local bowel management pathway.
It is the only transanal irrigation device with NICE guidance in the UK, yet adoption of the Medical Technologies Guidance 36 for Peristeen® Plus remains varied across the UK. As of April 2021, 32 per cent of published online formularies listed the device as a first- or second-line option for their localities. Analysis of PCA (2017-2021) data shows laxative prescribing increasing year on year with a 14 per cent increase in 2020-21.
Despite this variation, Peristeen® Plus has been helping people better manage their condition and shown to support cost savings by reducing the need for avoidable healthcare visits and fewer hospitalisations. Additionally, by reducing the incidence of urinary tract infections, freeing up time for carers, and decreasing the additional costs associated with managing recurring episodes of faecal incontinence, Peristeen® Plus can also directly benefit patients and carers whilst reducing costs for healthcare providers. This combination of factors led NICE to advise the NHS; adoption of Peristeen® Plus could facilitate savings of £5,144 per patient over a 37-year time horizon[4].
At a time where resources are stretched and NHS Staff are working tirelessly to address the challenges brought about by the covid-19 pandemic, it’s important to see the updated NICE guidance reaffirming that, used routinely, Peristeen® Plus is a cost-effective device for optimising bowel dysfunction and reducing the clinical and cost burden that faecal incontinence and chronic constipation can bring.
Making life easier for people with deeply private bladder and bowel conditions is in Coloplast’s DNA. Striving to make a difference, we remain committed, dedicating time and resources to fully understand patients’ conditions, their impact on quality of life in order to develop solutions specific to patients’ needs.
References:
- Bowel Interest Group. Cost of Constipation Report, 2020 Available from: https://bowelinterestgroup.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Cost-of-Constipation-2020.pdf [Accessed May 2022]
- The cost of constipation second edition 2021, Bowel Interest Group
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence June 2022: Overview | Peristeen Plus transanal irrigation system for managing bowel dysfunction | Guidance | NICE
