Charity to help patients fight on for bowel cancer drugs

pharmafile | January 29, 2007 | News story | |   

NICE's decision not to recommend bowel cancer drugs on the NHS has left campaigners in fighting mood.

The institute says Roche's Avastin and Merck Pharma's Erbitux are not cost effective for treating bowel cancer, confirming its initial decision made last summer.

But the charity Bowel Cancer UK has pledged to help patients fight on.

Ian Beaumont, the charity's head of public affairs says NICE guidance is just that – guidance and not law – which means NHS trusts can provide the drug to patients if they see fit.

Bowel Cancer UK says every day it is hearing from one new person seeking help, and it is putting together a Patient Campaigning Pack in response to the demand.

The charity says it will only assist in cases where the patient's doctors believe the patient could benefit, but he or she is being denied treatment by their PCT.

The campaigning pack will be published shortly and will include advice on how best to enlist the help of doctors, media, industry and lawyers in their fight for access.

NICE ruled that the drugs did not extend the lives of patients long enough to merit the high cost, with Avastin costing around 16,800 per patient and Erbitux costing £11,700 on average.

Roche opted not to appeal against the decision, but Merck did make an appeal, only for this to be rejected in January.

 

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