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NIHR HTA Commissioning Board
Minutes of the Forty-ninth Meeting
Date Wednesday & Thursday 18 th & 19 th April 2012
Place Danubius Hotel, London
Present
Members
NETSCC,
HTA
Secretariat
Apologies
Observers Day 1 only
Professor Hywel Williams (Chair)
Professor Jon Deeks (Deputy Chair)
Professor Tom Walley
Professor Steve Halligan
Professor Stephen Morris on day 2
Professor Andrea Nelson (arrived late on day 1)
Professor John Norrie
Dr Rafael Perera
Professor Martin Underwood
Dr Duncan Young
Professor Irwin Nazareth
Professor John W Gregory
Professor Peter Brocklehurst
Professor Dion Morton
Professor Caroline Watkins
Dr Joanne Lord
Professor Gail Mountain
Professor David Fitzmaurice
Professor Judith Bliss
Professor Chris Williams on day 1
Dr Peter Davidson (Consultant Advisor)
Mrs Stephanie Russell (Senior Programme Manager)
Mr Mark Townsend (Programme Manager)
Miss Daniela Doncakova (Assistant Programme Manager)
Mrs Gillian Davage (Administrator)
HTACB/325
Professors Angela Harden, Ann Ashburn and Peter Tyrer and Dr Martin Landray for
both days
Professor Steve Morris and Professor Barney Reeves for day 1
and
Professor Chris Williams for day 2
Nick Eaton - Programme Manager, Monitoring
Alexa Cross - Programme Manager, Monitoring
Day 2 only
Dr Omar Salim – Information Scientist – HTA
Dr Orla Dunn - Public Health trainee
Dr Fay Chinnery - panel researcher – HTA
Professor Ruairidh Milne – Director – NETSCC
Page 1 of 10

6. Primary Research – Full proposals
HTACB/325
6.1 10/135 - Speech therapy for patients with Parkinson’s disease (1 proposal)
Professor Williams chaired.
DBMs:
Dr Perera and Professors Norrie and Morris presented the proposal.
Professors Morton, Fitzmaurice and Deeks left the room
The board discussed one proposal and the outcome was:
Sackley (10/135/02) was recommended for resubmission.
6.2 11/19 - Pre-operative smoking cessation interventions (1 proposal)
Professor Williams chaired.
DBMs:
Drs Perera and Landray (written comments) and Professor Brocklehurst presented
the proposal
Professor Gregory left the room
The board discussed one proposal and the outcome was:
Moore (11/19/02) was rejected and the topic returned to prioritisation.
6.3 11/21 - Automated reading of retinal photography in diabetic eye screening
(2 proposals)
Professor Williams chaired.
DBMs:
Professors Halligan, Gregory and Norrie presented two proposals.
Professors Brocklehurst, Nazareth and Underwood left the room
The board discussed two proposals and the outcomes were:
Nussey (11/21/01) was rejected
Tufail (11/21/02) was recommended for funding with changes
6.4 11/23 - The use of ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in the
assessment of Crohn’s disease (1 proposal)
Professor Deeks chaired.
DBMs:
Dr Young and Professors Gregory and Norrie presented the proposal
Professors Brocklehurst, Nazareth, Halligan and Dr Perera left the room
The board discussed one proposal and the outcome was:

Taylor (11/23/01) was recommended for fund with changes
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6.5 11/24 - Treatment-to-target strategies in rheumatoid arthritis (1 proposal)
Professor Deeks chaired.
DBMs:
Professor Underwood, Dr Perera and Professor Brocklehurst presented the proposal.
No-one left the room
The board discussed one proposal and the outcome was:
Kay (11/24/04) was rejected and the brief was returned to prioritisation.
6.6 11/28 - Mechanical Insufflation-Esufflation devices for assisted cough in
neuromuscular disease (1 proposal)
Professor Deeks chaired.
DBMs:
Dr Landray (written comments) and Professors Nazareth and Morris (written
comments) presented the proposal.
No-one left the room.
The board discussed one proposal and the outcome was:
Simonds (11/28/01) was rejected
6.7 11/26 - Robot-assisted training devices for upper limb disability in post-stroke
patients (3 proposals)
Professor Williams chaired.
DBMs:
Professor Underwood, Mountain and Morris presented the three proposals.
Professor Watkins, Norrie, Chris Williams and Dr Perera left the room
The board discussed three proposals and the outcomes were:
Bhakta (11/28/02) was rejected
Rodgers (11/26/05) was recommended for funding with changes.
Burridge (11/26/07) was rejected.
6.8 11/33 - Integrated rehabilitation interventions after surgical treatment for hip
fracture in older people (2 proposals)
Professor Walley chaired
DBMs:
Professors Ashburn (written comments), Morris (written comments) and Mountain
presented the two proposals

HTACB/325
Professors Hywel Williams, Gregory and Fitzmaurice left the room
The board discussed two proposals and the outcomes were:
Cross (11/33/01) was rejected
Williams (11/33/03) was recommended for straight funding
6.9 11/34 - Guided reduction of antipsychotic medication (1 proposal)
Professor Williams chaired
DBMs:
Professor Morris (written comments), Dr Young and Professor Norrie presented the
proposal
Professors Chris Williams (left the meeting); Brocklehurst, Nazareth, Underwood,
Deeks and Fitzmaurice left the room
The board discussed one proposal and the outcome was:
Singh (11/34/01) was rejected and the topic returned to prioritisation.
6.10 11/35 - The risk and benefits of psychotropic medication during pregnancy (2
proposals)
Professor Williams chaired
DBMs:
Dr Landray (written comments) and Professors Tyrer (written comments) and
Watkins presented the two proposals.
Professors Brocklehurst, Nazareth and Norrie left the room
The board discussed two proposals and the outcomes were:
Abel (11/35/05) was rejected
Peterson (11/35/06) was recommended for straight funding
6.11 11/107 - Management of incidentally discovered renal tumours (1 proposal)
Professor Deeks chaired
DBMs:
Professors Nazareth, Halligan and Bliss presented the proposal
Dr Young and Professor Walley left the room
The board discussed one proposal and the outcome was:
Soomro (11/107/01) was recommended for resubmission
6.12 10/143- Increased doses of inhaled steroid treatment in adult asthma patients (1
proposal)
Professor Deeks chaired

HTACB/325
DBMs:
Professors Halligan, Ashburn and Dr Young presented the proposal
Professors Hywel Williams, Norrie and Fitzmaurice left the room
The board discussed one proposal and the outcome was:
Harrison (10/143/01) was recommended for funding with changes to be auctioned
by the chair.
7 Evidence Synthesis Fulls
7.1 11/95 - Interventions to prevent post-natal depression (3 proposals)
Professor Walley chaired.
DBMs:
Professors Brocklehurst, Nazareth and Tyrer (written comments) presented the
proposals
Professor Hywel Williams, Underwood and Deeks left the room
The board discussed three proposals and the outcomes were:
Morrell (11/95/03) was recommended for straight funding
Wittkowski (11/95/04) was rejected
Evans (11/95/05) was rejected
7.2 11/97 - Parental incentives for increasing uptake of immunisations in pre-school
children (1 proposal)
Professor Deeks chaired.
DBMs:
Professors Gregory and Fitzmaurice and Dr Lord presented the proposal
Professors Nazareth and Brocklehurst left the room.
The board discussed one proposal and the outcome was:
Adams (11/97/01) was recommended for funding with changes to be approved by
the chair
7.3 11/110 - Psychological interventions for maltreated children and adolescents (2
proposals)
Professor Williams chaired.
DBMs:
Professors Gregory, Mountain and Fitzmaurice presented the two proposals
Professors Underwood and Reeves and Dr Perera left the room
The board discussed two proposals and the outcomes were:
Churchill (11/110/01) was recommended for funding with changes to be approved
by the chair

Barlow (11/110/02) was rejected
8 Primary Research Outlines
HTACB/325
8.1 11/93 - Quitting smoking in pregnancy and following childbirth (3 proposals)
Professor Williams chaired.
DBMs:
Professors Brocklehurst and Fitzmaurice and Dr Lord presented three proposals
No-one left the room
The board discussed three proposals and the outcomes were:
11/93/01 Bauld was shortlisted
11/93/02 Coomber was shortlisted
11/93/03 Smith was rejected
8.2 11/25 - Surveillance regimes following early breast cancer (2 proposals)
Professor Williams chaired
DBMs:
Professors Bliss, Morton, Halligan and Watkins presented the two proposals
Professors Watkins, Underwood, Nelson, Norrie and Dr Perera left the room
The board discussed two proposals and the outcomes were:
11/25/02 Gilbert was shortlisted
11/25/03 Dunn was short-listed
8.3 11/94 - Interventions for preventing occupational irritant hand dermatitis in the
NHS (2 proposals)
Professor Deeks chaired
DBMs:
Professors Nelson, Watkins and Underwood presented two proposals.
Professors Hywel Williams and Norrie left the room
The board discussed two proposals and the outcomes were:
11/94/01 Madan was shortlisted.
11/94/02 Ormerod was shortlisted
8.4 11/96 - Immunisation of children and young people looked after by the state (2
proposals)
Professor Walley chaired.
DBMs:
Professors Gregory, Norrie and Nelson presented the two proposals

HTACB/325
Professors Morton, Underwood, Deeks, Hywel Williams and Fitzmaurice left the
room
The board discussed two proposals and the outcomes were:
11/96/01 Simkiss was shortlisted
11/96/02 Siriwardena was shortlisted
8.5 11/103 - Cystatin C test in the assessment of renal function (4 proposals)
Professor Williams chaired
DBMs:
Dr Lord and Professors Morton and Ashburn presented the four proposals
Professors Morton, Brocklehurst, Deeks, Fitzmaurice, Nelson and Drs Perera and
Young left the room
The board discussed four proposals and the outcomes were:
11/103/01 Lamb was shortlisted
11/103/02 Mark was shortlisted
11/103/03 Callaghan was rejected
11/103/04 Lewington was rejected
8.6 11/105 - Radiofrequency renal sympathectomy for the treatment of resistant
essential hypertension (1 proposal)
Professor Williams chaired
DBMs:
Dr Landray (written comments) and Professors Halligan, Underwood and Ashburn
presented the proposal
Professors Reeves and Lord left the room.
The board discussed one proposal and the outcome was:
11/105/01 Caulfield was rejected
8.7 11/104 - Elemental / polymeric nutrition for the maintenance of remission in
Crohn’s disease (1 proposal)
Professor Deeks chaired
DBMs:
Professors Halligan and Nelson and Dr Young presented the proposal.
No-one left the room
The board discussed one proposal and the outcome was:
11/104/01 Fell was rejected
8.8 11/106 - Surgical treatments for moderate urinary incontinence in men after

prostate surgery (1 proposal)
Professor Deeks Chaired
DBMs:
Professors Morton, Reeves and Watkins presented one proposal
Professor Norrie left the room
The board discussed one proposal and the outcome was:
11/106/01 Abrams was shortlisted
HTACB/325
8.9 11/108 - Early specialist palliative care for patients with metastatic non-small-cell
lung cancer (3 proposals)
Dr Davidson chaired
DBMs:
Professors Bliss, Gregory and Norrie presented the three proposals.
Professors Morton, Brocklehurst, Halligan, Nazareth, Mountain, Hywel Williams,
Deeks Fitzmaurice, Morris and Nelson left the room
The board discussed three proposals and the outcomes were:
11/108/03 – Higginson was shortlisted
11/108/05 – Brims was shortlisted
11/108/06 – Ahmedzai was shortlisted
8.10 11/109 - An interventional package for parents of excessively crying infants
(3 proposals)
Professor Williams chaired
DBMs:
Professor Reeves and Drs Perera and Young presented the three proposals.
Professors Walley and Fitzmaurice left the meeting.
Professors Brocklehurst, Halligan, Morris, Nazareth, Underwood and Gregory left
the room
The board discussed three proposals and the outcomes were:
11/109/01 – St James-Roberts was rejected
11/109/02 – Brown was rejected
11/109/03 – Hogg was rejected
8.11 11/111 - Interventions for psychosexual dysfunction after treatment for
gynaecological malignancy (3 proposal)
Professor Deeks chaired
DBMs:

HTACB/325
Professors Nelson and Underwood and Dr Perera presented three proposals
Professors Brocklehurst, Nazareth and Morris left the room
The board discussed three proposals and the outcomes were:
11/111/01 – Roberts was shortlisted
11/111/02 – Gessler was shortlisted
11/111/03 – Tyrer was rejected
8.12 11/113 - Timing of intravenous fluids after trauma (3 proposals)
Professor Deeks Chaired
DBMs:
Professors Reeves and Brocklehurst and Dr Landray presented three proposals
Professor Norrie left the meeting
Professor Mountain left the room
The board discussed three proposals and the outcomes were:
11/113/01 – Hopkins was rejected
11/113/02 – Benger was shortlisted
11/113/03 – Baudouin was shortlisted
8.13 11/114 - Long Acting Reversible Contraception for secondary prevention of
endometriosis (1 proposal)
Professor Williams Chaired
DBMs:
Professors Underwood, Nazareth and Reeves presented the proposal
Professors Morton, Brocklehurst and Deeks left the room
The board discussed one proposal and the outcome was:
11/114/01 – Bhattacharya was shortlisted
8.14 11/112 - Psychological treatments for fatigue in patients with inflammatory
arthritis (5 proposals)
Professor Williams Chaired
DBMs:
Professors Mountain, Tyrer (written comments) and Watkins presented the five
proposals
Professor Reeves left the room
The board discussed five proposals and the outcomes were:
11/112/01 – Hewlett was shortlisted
11/112/02 – MacFarlane was shortlisted

11/112/03 – Siebert was rejected
11/112/04 – Chalder was rejected
11/112/05 – Bruce was rejected
9 Outline Evidence synthesis
HTACB/325
9.1 11/98 - HbA1c targets for patients with type 2 diabetes (3 proposals)
Professor Williams Chaired
DBMs:
Professors Fitzmaurice, Reeves and Nazareth presented the three proposals
Professors Lord and Gregory and Dr Perera left the room
The board discussed three proposals and the outcomes were:
11/98/01 – Philips was shortlisted
11/98/02 – Wonderling was rejected
11/98/03 – Lindsay was shortlisted
9.2 11/99 - Screening for hyperglycaemia in pregnancy (2 proposals)
Professor Deeks Chaired
DBMs:
Dr Perera, Professor Fitzmaurice and Dr Young presented the two proposals
Professors Brocklehurst, Reeves, Nazareth and Morris left the room
The board discussed two proposals and the outcomes were:
11/99/01 – Fraser was shortlisted
11/99/02 – Farrar was shortlisted
9.3 11/102 - Monitoring patients with chronic heart failure (3 proposals)
Professor Williams Chaired
DBMs:
Dr Lord and Professors Morton and Ashburn presented three proposals.
Drs Young and Perera and Professor Reeves left the room
The board discussed three proposals and the outcomes were:
11/102/01 Heneghan was rejected
11/102/02 Woolacott was shortlisted
11/102/03 Reeves was shortlisted
10 Summing up review and close