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Liver cancer drug 'too expensive' | Liver cancer drug 'too expensive' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A drug that can prolong the lives of patients with advanced liver cancer has been rejected for use in the NHS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. | A drug that can prolong the lives of patients with advanced liver cancer has been rejected for use in the NHS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. |
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) said the cost of Nexavar - about £3,000 a month - was "simply too high". | The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) said the cost of Nexavar - about £3,000 a month - was "simply too high". |
But Macmillan Cancer Support said the decision was "a scandal". | But Macmillan Cancer Support said the decision was "a scandal". |
More than 3,000 people are diagnosed with liver cancer every year in the UK and their prognosis is generally poor. | More than 3,000 people are diagnosed with liver cancer every year in the UK and their prognosis is generally poor. |
Only about 20% of patients are alive one year after diagnosis, dropping to just 5% after five years. | Only about 20% of patients are alive one year after diagnosis, dropping to just 5% after five years. |
'Disappointed' | 'Disappointed' |
Campaigner Kate Spall, who won the right to have two months of treatment for her mother, Pamela Northcott, in 2007, said it had prolonged her life by four-and-a-half "precious" months. | |
It had allowed her 58-year-old mother, from Dyserth in Denbighshire, "closure" and "peace", she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | |
"The problem in Mum's case is it took a year for me to fight for the treatment, so we'll never know how well she could have done," she said. | |
It is a scandal that the only licensed drug proven to significantly prolong the lives of people with this devastating disease has been rejected Mike Hobday | |
"We had extra time, which was very precious to us all, her symptoms were helped greatly. And, more importantly, for Mum it was a case of getting some closure and peace. | |
"The psychological feeling when a group of people decide that you cannot have a treatment that can help you is really devastating." | |
Cancer Research UK's chief clinician Peter Johnson said the decision was "enormously frustrating" because there was no doubt about the drug's effectiveness. | |
He said: "There's no alternative treatment and there are no other places for people to go. It is expensive, but the only issue is cost and the number of patients affected are quite few - there's probably only six or seven hundred patients a year." | |
Nexavar - also known as sorafenib - had already been rejected in Scotland, despite studies showing it could extend the life of a liver cancer patient by up to six months. | Nexavar - also known as sorafenib - had already been rejected in Scotland, despite studies showing it could extend the life of a liver cancer patient by up to six months. |
'Devastating disease' | |
The Scottish Medicines Consortium ruled that "the manufacturer's justification of the treatment's cost in relation to its benefit was not sufficient to gain acceptance". | The Scottish Medicines Consortium ruled that "the manufacturer's justification of the treatment's cost in relation to its benefit was not sufficient to gain acceptance". |
Andrew Dillon, chief executive of NICE, agreed: "The price being asked by [the manufacturer] Bayer is simply too high to justify using NHS money which could be spent on better value cancer treatments." | Andrew Dillon, chief executive of NICE, agreed: "The price being asked by [the manufacturer] Bayer is simply too high to justify using NHS money which could be spent on better value cancer treatments." |
And the group's clinical and public health director, Peter Littlejohns, added the drug was considered "just too expensive" by its advisory committees. | |
Nexavar is routinely offered to cancer patients elsewhere in the world, and Mike Hobday, head of campaigns at Macmillan Cancer Support, said he was "extremely disappointed" at NICE's decision. | Nexavar is routinely offered to cancer patients elsewhere in the world, and Mike Hobday, head of campaigns at Macmillan Cancer Support, said he was "extremely disappointed" at NICE's decision. |
"It is a scandal that the only licensed drug proven to significantly prolong the lives of people with this devastating disease has been rejected, leaving them with no treatment options," he said. | "It is a scandal that the only licensed drug proven to significantly prolong the lives of people with this devastating disease has been rejected, leaving them with no treatment options," he said. |
Earlier this year, a government review of end-of-life treatment said NICE should give extra weight to drugs that could extend a patient's life. | Earlier this year, a government review of end-of-life treatment said NICE should give extra weight to drugs that could extend a patient's life. |
The Department of Health said NICE was not ignoring that recommendation, but the NHS could not just pay for any drug at any cost. | The Department of Health said NICE was not ignoring that recommendation, but the NHS could not just pay for any drug at any cost. |
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? You can send us your experiences using the form below: | Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? You can send us your experiences using the form below: |
The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |