MORNING SESSION Theme] evidence!based prescribinT he keynote speaker was Professor Sir Michael Rawlins\ Chairman\ National Institute for Clinical Excellence[ He claimed that the health professions were underachieving globally and gave examples from the UK showing that it had led to inequality in health care delivery[ He then gave examples of control strategies in other countries[ He said that bene_ts from technological innovations must in future be assessed for their clinical and cost!e}ec! tiveness\ resource implications and their cost! opportunity impact on other options in the National Health Service[ Manufacturers of health technologies would be required to submit evidence to an appraisal committee who would report and recommend approval or otherwise\ for health ser! vice use[ Categories would include unrestricted use\ restricted use\ use as part of a formal evaluation or no use at all[ Transparency would be assured and in the end\ a}ordability would be for the Govern! ment to determine[ Pharmaceuticals\ devices\ diag! nostic materials and procedures would all be assessed in this way[ NICE would also develop and disseminate clini! cal guidelines which professionals would be expected to follow in appropriate patients[ Gui! delines on management of cancers\ cardiovascular disease\ mental health\ gastrointestinal disease\ neurology\ nursing procedures and general surgery Correspondence to] Dr John J[ Ferguson\ Medical Director\ Prescription Pricing Authority\ Bridge House\ 041 Pilgrim Street\ Newcastle upon Tyne NE0 5SN\ UK[