Thousands of cancer patients denied key drug due to ‘unfair’ NHS rulings, says charity
Breast cancer charity slams NHS drug approval process
- The charity Breast Cancer Now says that the NHS drug approval process is "unfair", potentially denying thousands of women with advanced breast cancer access to crucial life-extending medication.
- The charity specifically criticises the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice)'s "severity modifier", arguing its stringent criteria prevent patients with incurable breast cancer from qualifying for the most severe rating.
- This concern comes after news that the life-extending drug Enhertu will not be available on the NHS in England and Wales due to a breakdown in price negotiations between Nice and the manufacturers.
- Breast Cancer Now is urging Health Secretary Wes Streeting to remove "opportunity-cost neutral" restraints and for Nice to lower its definition of a "very severe health condition".
- Nice maintains its severity weighting is functioning as intended, leading to increased positive decisions for various medicines, while the Department of Health and Social Care says Enhertu's manufacturers are unwilling to sell at a fair price.