Patients denied access to kidney cancer drugs
CHARITIES expressed disappointment yesterday at a decision to deny patients access to four kidney cancer drugs that could help extend their lives.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) issued draft guidance rejecting the drugs Sutent, Avastin, Nexavar and Torisel.
Charities said the decision left patients only one treatment option – interferon – to which many do not respond.
In Scotland, three of the drugs are already not recommended for use on the NHS by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC). The makers of the other – Torisel – have never applied for a review by the SMC.
The Nice guidance, which applies to England and Wales and is considered by Scots officials, could end any hope of the treatments becoming available north of the Border.
Professor Peter Johnson, of Cancer Research UK, said he was disappointed by the move.
Email to a friend
Print this page- Rangers run into the ground as furious HMRC battles to claw back tax
- Broken Rangers: Club signals intention to go into administration
- Rangers: ‘Crisis will soon be over and Rangers FC will survive’
- Scottish independence: David Cameron set to snub Alex Salmond’s separation talks bid
- Scottish independence: David Cameron offers a deal to reject independence
- Scottish independence: David Cameron offers a deal to reject independence
- Devo-max merely a dodgy back-up plan to save SNP, says Jim Sillars
- Scottish independence: No breakthrough in talks between Alex Salmond and Michael Moore
- The Rumour Mill: Thursday’s football news and gossip
- Scottish independence: David Cameron set to snub Alex Salmond’s separation talks bid
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Edinburgh
Saturday 18 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -2 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 26 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 2 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: West
