How we develop medical technologies guidance
Our Medical Technologies Evaluation Programme (MTEP) evaluates new medical technologies.
Our medical technologies guidance looks at those technologies that:
deliver treatment - like those implanted during surgical procedures
give greater independence to patients
detect or monitor medical conditions.
Our aim is to boost the uptake of these devices and technologies in the NHS.
Types of guidance and advice
Medical technologies are usually developed as either medical technologies guidance or diagnostics guidance.
Medical technologies are developed by our Medical Technologies Evaluation Programme (MTEP).
Diagnostics guidance, for new diagnostic technologies, is evaluated separately by our Diagnostics Assessment Programme (DAP). This includes all types of measurements and tests used to evaluate a patient's condition. Find out more about diagnostics guidance.
Our guidance development process
Our recommendations are prepared by independent advisory committees. They comprise of both health professionals and people who are familiar with the issues that can affect patients and carers.
Types of recommendation
We make 4 types of recommendation which apply across all our guidance products. These allow us to produce clear, directive, actionable guidance that is easy to understand and put into practice.
View the types of recommendation NICE can make.
Process timeline
It takes approximately 38 weeks to develop a piece of medical technologies guidance.
For a full description of the process see the:
Contact us
If you're getting in touch about a scheduled evaluation, please contact [email protected].
For advice on the development of a health technology, you can get support from the NICE Advice service. Operating separately from NICE guidance production, they offer fee-based advice and support around evidence generation or other challenges relating to market access.