Nice is to retain its role in deciding therapy options, with the NHS required to adopt its recommendations for cost-effective drug treatments, the government has pledged its response to the NHS Future Forum report.

The government was committed to maintaining Nice's role in recommending drugs and treatments, both until value-based pricing is introduced in 2014 and beyond, the Department of Health said in the response, published on Monday.

"We currently require NHS commissioners in England to fund drugs and treatments in line with Nice's recommendations... we intend to maintain the effect of the funding direction in the new value-based pricing arrangements," the government response said.

"The NHS will be required to fund drugs already recommended by Nice, as well as drug treatments subject to the value-based pricing regime," the government added.

The announcement comes as a climb-down from the government, which had outlined plans for Nice to adopt a purely advisory and guidelines role in its July 2010 white paper.