13.03.12
SMC rules out prostate cancer drug use
The prostate cancer drug abiraterone has been ruled too expensive for regular use on the NHS by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC).
The SMC decided the drug was clinically effective but not good value for money for the health service as the manufacturer Janssen had set the price too high.
There is no other treatment available to men with advanced prostate cancer that returns after chemotherapy. Abiraterone can now be accessed inScotlandonly through Patient Treatment Requests or as part of a clinical trial.
In England, some patients will be able to access abiraterone through the Cancer Drugs Fund until a final decision is made by NICE. But the Fund is only available until 2014, and there is no equivalent inScotland.
The All Wales Medicines Strategy Group approved the routine use of abiraterone after using End of Life criteria, so the drug is available inWalesuntil NICE gives its final decision. In a preliminary review, NICE turned down the drug for being too expensive.
Dr Harpal Kumar, chief executive at Cancer ResearchUK, said: “Abiraterone is an important treatment because patients and doctors value the extra months of life it can give if prostate cancer has come back after chemotherapy.
“We need to find a way for it to be routinely available through the NHS. At the moment it is too expensive and the SMC must find a better way to ensure drugs that are proven to be effective for patients get approved.”
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