29.01.18
Thousands of cancer patients received treatment sooner under new drugs fund
Thousands of cancer patients have benefited from the new Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF), NHS England has reported.
The new fund, which is expected to release at least £140m into the NHS, has given cancer patients speedy access to new and innovative treatments since it opened in July 2016.
Almost 15,700 patients have benefitted from the 52 drugs treating 81 different types of cancer with around 5,000 having received the treatment sooner than they would have under the previous system.
In addition, NHS England says that it has secured discounts on eight of the treatments previously funded by the old CDF, which will save the NHS around £140m over the next five years.
Under the new system the NICE appraisal process for newly referred drugs starts much earlier, with the aim of publishing draft guidance before the drugs receive their license, and final guidance issued within 90 days of that.
According to NHS England, patients now benefit from new cancer drugs at least four months earlier than under the old system, with all cancer treatments recommended by NICE, whether for routine commissioning or the CDF, are now available to patients as soon as positive draft guidance is published by NICE.
NHS England says that it now has more direct involvement with industry, and works closely with NICE in order to find deals that work for patients, whereas previously the industry would propose a price and NICE would say whether or not the drug would be made available.
John Stewart, director of specialised commissioning at NHS England, explained: “Alongside the new look process, tough negotiations and flexibility are leading to more deals with pharmaceutical companies achieving real value for money for the NHS, meaning the new fund is not only benefiting patients, but industry, the NHS and the taxpayer too.”
Have you got a story to tell? Would you like to become an NHE columnist? If so, click here.