Patient wins legal battle for Revlimid
pharmafile | September 12, 2008 | News story | Sales and Marketing | Cancer, Revlimid
A cancer patient has won access to cancer drug Revlimid in a court battle with his local PCT.
West Sussex Primary Care Trust refused to fund the medicine for multiple myeloma patient Colin Ross, who then mounted a legal challenge to the decision.
Ross was too sick to attend court, but his lawyer Yogi Amin – who has fought similar cases against PCTs across the country – said: "Mr Ross' case demonstrates the devastating effect that the postcode lottery can have on people's lives but today he is overjoyed that he has won his right to live."
Revlimid is used in combination with standard therapy to treat multiple myeloma in patients who have received at least one prior therapy.
Manufacturer Celgene says the drug is the first new pill for the cancer in 40 years and claims it doubles the survival rate of patients over the standard therapy (dexamethasone) alone.
Revlimid is awaiting NICE appraisal, which is why Ross and other patients had to apply individually to their PCT under 'exceptional circumstances' rules.
The High Court judge ruled that the PCTs decision to deny the drug to Ross was unreasonable, and ordered for him to be given access to treatment.
Ross, who lives in Horsham, believed he would already have been receiving the drug if he lived in neighbouring East Sussex. The judge has now issued an emergency injunction to enable Mr Ross to begin treatment immediately.
Andrew Robertson, Celgene's general manager for the UK and Ireland, commented: "Celgene is committed to doing all it can to ensure that this treatment is made available to patients. We will continue to work closely alongside NICE as Revlimid is an important new treatment in this disease area, and offers patients the potential for nearly three additional years of life when compared with previous standards of care."
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