The GC noted quality of life was a secondary endpoint in the trials and hospitalisations are the main outcome the study was powered for. The committee decided that making a recommendation in this area was premature given the variation seen in outcomes and differences in administration protocols between current studies and preferred UK practice.They were aware of continuing studies in the field including Intravenous Iron Treatment in Patients With Heart Failure and Iron Deficiency (IRONMAN), Intravenous Iron in Patients With Systolic Heart Failure and Iron Deficiency to Improve Morbidity & Mortality (FAIR- HF2), and Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial of FCM as Treatment for Heart Failure With Iron Deficiency (HEART-FID). The latter two trials are using ferric carboxymaltose (FCM), however all IV formulations would be relevant and could be considered together unlike oral preparations where varaiations in bioavailability may be more of an issue. Because of the potential to cause toxicity using iron therapy, there needs to be good evidence that a patient is iron deficient prior to being given IV iron. A small percentage of patients with HF have iron overload as the cause of their HF. There was also concern that because iron deficiency can be a symptom of other disorders, particularly gastro-intestinal tract cancer, there was the risk of missing other causes if the iron was replaced without further investigation. The committee heard testimony from the co-optee renal physician who regularly oversees IV infusion on an outpatient basis for patients with anaemia and/or renal disease and regularly cares for people with heart failure. He reported that using a dosage regimen similar to CONFIRM-HF was generally well tolerated. 