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Anxiety: Medical Treatments

Asked by Dr Luke EvansConservativeDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 12 March 2026UIN 118270

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence clinical guidelines on generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder in adults.

Answered by Dr Zubir Ahmed

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines are developed by experts based on a thorough assessment of the available evidence and through extensive engagement with a wide range of stakeholders. They represent best practice, and healthcare professionals are expected to take them fully into account in the care and treatment of their patients. NICE keeps its guidance under active surveillance and decisions on whether published guidelines should be updated in light of new evidence are taken by the NICE prioritisation board, chaired by the NICE Chief Medical Officer, in line with its published prioritisation framework. There are currently no plans to update the guideline on generalised anxiety and panic disorder.

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