Application 1118 Vagus nerve stimulation
Vagus nerve stimulation
Vagus Nerve Stimulation
Application No. | 1118 |
| Application Name | Vagus nerve stimulation |
| Advisory Panel | Dr Ewa Piejko (Chair) (MSAC member until 30/09/2008) Professor Stephen Blamey (Deputy Chair) (MSAC member until 31/12/2008) Ms Margaret Charlton (Consumers’ Health Forum nominee) Professor Andrew H Kaye (Neurological Surgeon) Professor Samuel Berkovic (Epileptologist) |
| Date Received by MSAC Secretariat | 2 April 2007 |
| Stage 1 - Eligibility | Eligible |
| Stage 2 - Assessment | Completed |
| Stage 3 - Formulation of Advice to the Minister | The MSAC has considered the safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness for vagus nerve stimulation in addition to anti-epileptic medication for patients with medically refractory epilepsy. It was compared with continued or modified anti-epileptic drug therapy for all patients, and for children it was also compared with or without a ketogenic diet. MSAC finds the procedure is reasonably safe in the context of the condition being treated. MSAC finds there is insufficient evidence of effectiveness and net benefit of vagal nerve stimulation therapy for patients with medically refractory epilepsy. Formal economic analysis was not conducted in view of the uncertainty of net clinical benefit. MSAC recommends that public funding arrangements for vagus nerve stimulation for epilepsy remain unchanged. |
| Stage 4 - Decision Noting of MSAC advice by the Minister does not constitute a final decision in relation to the provision of public funding | The Minister noted MSAC's advice 28 August 2008. |
| Stage 5 - Implementation |  |
Page currency, Latest update: 11 September, 2009
