February 1st, 2012, informational news from the BBC

"NICE: Prostate cancer drug too costly for NHS (abiraterone=Zytiga)

A drug that can extend the life of men with advanced prostate cancer by more than three months has provisionally been rejected for NHS use.
Draft guidance from the health watchdog for England and Wales says the drug's benefits are not enough to justify the price the NHS has been asked to pay.
Cancer charities have been angered by the decision about abiraterone, one of the few drugs available to men in the final stages of prostate cancer.
A final decision is yet to be made.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer to affect men in the UK. The chief executive of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), Sir Andrew Dillon, said the drug was effective, and one of its key benefits was that it could be taken orally in the patient's own home.

"We are therefore disappointed not to be able to recommend it for use on the NHS, however it is an expensive drug," Sir Andrew added.
Abiraterone costs just under £3,000 for one month's supply but has been offered at a undisclosed discounted price to the NHS. - - - - "

For those interested, the entire BBC article can be found here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16838825

John@newPCa.org (aka) az4peaks

As a UK member, let me just say that NICE do a job which is both necessary under the NHS system and largely thankless. They have made some crass decisions in the past which were reversed after public and/or political outcry. I am not yet convinced that this particular decision is one of them, but if I were further along in my journey I might think differently. Making these decisions is never going to be easy !



John the CAMRAman

Diagnosed 8/11 - PSA 16, 13 of 20 cores positive, Gleason 3 + 4 = 7
Possible lymph node involvement
Lymphadanectomy cancelled 11/11 due to unrelated illness
Currently on Zoladex 10.8

I think that if for no other reasons than compassion, the drug company should reduce the cost of the drug, even if that have to sell it much lower, only going to be a smaller pool of potential men needing to try and use the drug.

david