The latest blog post sees the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) once again in the headlines.  The organisation has rejected the drug Avastin, saying that it is not cost effective despite evidence that it can increase the life expectancy of bowel cancer sufferers by up to two years.  Although the final decision is due next month, NICE has said that the cost breaches its threshold for NHS use.

Ten times as many patients get Avastin paid for by private health insurers than on the NHS.  It is estimated that as many as 5,000 sufferers of advanced bowel cancer could benefit from the drug which can also be used to treat breast cancer.  It is also revealed that NICE is looking into the use of Avastin for patients threatened with blindness.

The move by NICE is controversial as the drug is standard care in most other westernised countries.  Almost all EU countries, as well as Australia, the United States, Canada and Scandinavia meet the cost of using Avastin to treat bowel cancer.

If there is a change of government following the general election the Conservative Party would face an early test on its pledge to fund all cancer drugs.  The party’s health spokesman Andrew Lansley said: “We will ensure through our new cancer drugs fund that patients will be able to get the drugs that their doctors say they need.”

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1273196/Horror-story-thousands-cancer-patients-denied-miracle-drug-NHS.html