Med Tech-related technology assessments from NICE in April 2026

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) develops HealthTech Guidance (HTG) to evaluate HealthTech products (such as diagnostics, medical devices, and digital technologies, including artificial intelligence) and interventional procedures. The program focuses on assessing the clinical and cost-effectiveness of HealthTech products and the safety and efficacy of interventional procedures. 

NICE uses a lifecycle approach for HTG, reflecting the development stage of technology: Early use (innovative technologies with potential to address NHS unmet needs but insufficient evidence); Routine use (innovative technologies with sufficient evidence for widespread NHS adoption); Existing use (assess technologies in widespread use in the NHS to inform commissioning and procurement decisions).

NICE generally makes four types of recommendations: “Can be used” is the most favorable recommendation, meaning routine NHS use; “Can be used during the evidence generation period” – recommendation is conditional on evidence generation; “More research is needed” – limits the use to research settings only; “Should not be used”. The exception is existing use HTG, which recommends whether any technology should be used over other similar technologies in widespread NHS use, and what to consider when choosing between them. Recommendations are not binding, although they are typically followed by providers and commissioners.

In April 2026, NICE released one new HTG for an interventional procedure on transvenous embolisation for spontaneous intracranial hypotension caused by a cerebrospinal fluid–venous fistula and one early use HTG on digital technologies for applying algorithms to spirometry to support asthma and COPD diagnosis in primary care and community diagnostic centres, which made the following recommendations:

• Transvenous embolization can be used in the NHS during the evidence generation period as an option to treat spontaneous intracranial hypotension caused by a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) venous fistula. 
• ArtiQ.Spiro can be used in the NHS during the evidence generation period as an option for applying algorithms to spirometry to support asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) diagnosis in primary care and community diagnostic centers. It can only be used following clinical assessment and with clinical oversight from a healthcare professional to make the final diagnosis; More research is needed on three technologies (EasyOne Connect, GoSpiro, LungHealth) for applying algorithms to spirometry to support asthma and COPD diagnosis before they can be funded in the NHS.

In addition, NICE updated clinical guidelines on the recognition and referral of suspected cancer, the identification and management of menopause, the recognition and initial management of ovarian cancer, and the management of acne vulgaris.

See the full details here.

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