Just this week, there were two news reports that sent mixed signals. In one news report NICE, the watchdog agency that decides whether Brits can have access to cutting edge, but expensive medicine or not, has decided in favor or paying for Herceptin for women with breast cancer.
British authorities have been under intense pressure to back wider use of Herceptin after women with early-stage disease went to court to force local health authorities to pay for it. Until now, Herceptin has been recommended for treating only metastatic cancer, a late-stage condition in which tumors have spread around the body. The new approval extends its use to a much large number of mainly younger patients.
And on the other hand, there is another report that suggests that NICE may be considering exactly the opposite for patients eligible for Avastin and Erbitux...
The Appraisal Committee has prepared a Final Appraisal Determination on the use of Avastin and Erbitux in metastatic colorectal cancer and submitted it to the Institute. The main recommendations made are as follows: Avastin ( Bevacizumab ) in combination with 5-FluoroUracil plus Folinic Acid, with or without Irinotecan, is not recommended for the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. Erbitux ( Cetuximab ) in combination with Irinotecan is not recommended for the second-line or subsequent treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.
So, is it now the turn of Colorectal cancer patients to fight for their prescriptions?
You Betcha!
Its really sad what the British patients have to go through to have access to medicines that are available to them without question in US.
