Approval sought for kidney cancer drug

Published on Tuesday 3 February 2009 21:43

CAMPAIGNERS yesterday called for Scotland to follow England and recommend a kidney cancer drug for use on the NHS.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) has published revised guidance on Sutent (sunitinib), recommending it for use – reversing a previous decision.

However, Nice, which issues guidance for the NHS in England, still rejected three other drugs also used in kidney cancer – Avastin, Nexavar and Torisel.

The guidance is still in a draft stage. Nice hopes to issue final advice on Sutent in March. NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS)

is likely to follow Nice's recommendation.

The kidney medicines do not cure advanced cancer, but can extend a person's life.

Every year, up to 7,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with kidney cancer. Of these, about 1,700 will be diagnosed with advanced kidney cancer and at any one time about 3,600 are living with the advanced form.

The Welsh health minister Edwina Hart has said all four drugs will be available to people in Wales. It is thought they will cost 600 a week per patient.

Elspeth Atkinson, of Macmillan Cancer Support, said: "We need action to ensure this treatment is available in Scotland to all those who would benefit from it. We want patients to get drugs based on need, not on where they live."