NICE changes still won't help all women needing Herceptin

1.16.16pm GMT Thu 3rd Nov 2005

NICE decides which drugs can be prescribed on the NHS

Commenting on the announcement that changes enabling National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to produce faster guidance on life-saving drugs will be implemented, Annette Brooke MP said: "The Government has at last responded to Liberal Democrat calls for a swifter process for approving new drugs for the NHS.

"Many women who could benefit from Herceptin will still not be able to get it until next summer. Women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer now cannot afford to wait. Sadly, today's announcement makes little difference to them. Doctors who feel their patients would benefit from Herceptin should not be prevented from prescribing it off licence."

Speaking in a debate in Parliament on the breast cancer drug Herceptin this week, Annette Brooke MP, who is joint-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Breast Cancer Group, commented that at a recent Breakthrough Breast Cancer meeting the Secretary of State for Health, Patricia Hewitt said that Herceptin should not be refused by any primary care trust solely on the grounds of cost.

Members of Parliament agreed that it is no good for the Secretary of State to simply say that prescription for the drug is a matter for PCTs if they cannot afford it.

Annette Brooke said: "This is not only a local matter; it needs to be decided nationally and we need guidance and a lead from the Minister. She cannot hide behind the PCTs and say, "It's over to you. You make the decisions and find the money." Very many PCTs are heavily in debt, and women must not be denied this drug simply because of those financial problems, but access should be decided on the basis of clinical need.

"PCTs in deficit are unlikely to feel that they can afford to prescribe the drug. They need not only guidance and a lead from the Secretary of State, but some help."

Annette Brooke has written to Poole PCT urging the Trust to establish a policy on the use of the drug Herceptin locally.