This morning, the UK’s drug guidance body, NICE, announced its preliminary decision on whether the NHS should use four new cancer drugs – bevacizumab, sorafenib, sunitinib and temsirolimus – to treat people with kidney cancer that has spread (‘metastatic renal cell carcinoma’).
Despite clinical evidence that these drugs can actually help, NICE has decided that they’re too expensive. In essence, NICE doesn’t think that these four drugs are value-for-money for the NHS.
We’re very disappointed with this decision, and we feel it raises fundamental questions about how NICE evaluates cancer drugs, particularly for cancers that only affect a relatively small number of people.
NICE have stressed that this is a preliminary decision, and are undergoing a public consultation. Cancer Research UK will be making representations to NICE on the matter.
That’s why we’d like to hear what you have to say – if you have a strong opinion on this, please leave your comments below. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Henry Scowcroft 
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