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04/02/2009
Kidney Cancer Drug Given Green Light
A drug, which prolongs the life of kidney cancer sufferers, has been given the go-ahead for patients in England and Northern Ireland, in a U-turn move.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) - the NHS drugs watchdog - published revised guidance on the drug Sutent (sunitinib). It has already been approved for Wales, but is still not available in Scotland.
Similar advice published last year rejected Sutent for use on the NHS, alongside Avastin (bevacizumab), Nexavar (sorafenib) and Torisel (temsirolimus).
At the time, charities voiced their outrage at the decision, arguing that patients only had one treatment option if Sutent was not approved, to which many patients did not respond.
But NICE has now revised its guidance, saying it should be approved on the NHS in England. It however, has rejected the other three drugs.
Andrew Dillon, Chief Executive of NICE, said: "Having decided that one of these treatments should be recommended for use in the NHS, we felt that it was in the interests of patients to get that advice out as quickly as possible.
"Although this final recommendation is subject to appeal we very much hope it will form the basis of our guidance to the NHS.
"The other three drugs we are looking at will be the subject of further consultation."
Around 7,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with kidney cancer each year, and 1,700 of these patients will be diagnosed with an advanced form of the disease.
Earlier this month, the Welsh health minister Edwina Hart announced that all four drugs would be made available to people in Wales. It is thought prescribing the drugs will cost £600 a week per patient.
However, Mrs Hart made it clear she was making the decision subject to reappraisal of the drugs by NICE.
(JM/BMcC)
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) - the NHS drugs watchdog - published revised guidance on the drug Sutent (sunitinib). It has already been approved for Wales, but is still not available in Scotland.
Similar advice published last year rejected Sutent for use on the NHS, alongside Avastin (bevacizumab), Nexavar (sorafenib) and Torisel (temsirolimus).
At the time, charities voiced their outrage at the decision, arguing that patients only had one treatment option if Sutent was not approved, to which many patients did not respond.
But NICE has now revised its guidance, saying it should be approved on the NHS in England. It however, has rejected the other three drugs.
Andrew Dillon, Chief Executive of NICE, said: "Having decided that one of these treatments should be recommended for use in the NHS, we felt that it was in the interests of patients to get that advice out as quickly as possible.
"Although this final recommendation is subject to appeal we very much hope it will form the basis of our guidance to the NHS.
"The other three drugs we are looking at will be the subject of further consultation."
Around 7,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with kidney cancer each year, and 1,700 of these patients will be diagnosed with an advanced form of the disease.
Earlier this month, the Welsh health minister Edwina Hart announced that all four drugs would be made available to people in Wales. It is thought prescribing the drugs will cost £600 a week per patient.
However, Mrs Hart made it clear she was making the decision subject to reappraisal of the drugs by NICE.
(JM/BMcC)
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