More time on age decision

A report by the citizens' council of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence has shied away from making firm conclusions on whether treatments should be rationed because of age.

In an interim paper, the council says: 'We did not find it possible to give a yes or no answer to the overall question... [there were] few black or white answers.'

The council was asked to consider whether, and in which circumstances, age should have a role in treatment decisions. It highlighted uncertainties, including physical state and biological age as opposed to age in years.

NICE chief executive Andrew Dillon said that measures were being taken to help firm up some of the issues before the council made its final report in November by highlighting the kinds of technical and clinical issues related to age currently faced by its advisory committee.