York Press 3rd April 2007 reported that a group supporting people suffering from asbestos related illnesses in York, has condemned a decision to block the dispensing of an important drug used to treat the condition.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) said that it did not recommend Alimta, as an effective drug for those suffering from mesothelioma. Alimta is a licensed treatment which has been used with great effect to treat the disease for more than two years.
Dr Gillian Leng, implementation director and executive lead for NICE's guidance on the treatment, said: "Although aspects of the appeals were upheld, a further review, in accordance with the directions of the Appeal Panel, of the data available on the clinical and cost effectiveness of Alimta for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma, did not show that Alimta plus cisplatin was superior to other, far less costly treatment regimens currently being used to treat mesothelioma."
Professor Nick Thatcher, specialist lung consultant at the Christie Hospital NHS Trust and South Manchester University Trust Hospital, said: "Yet again, NICE have applied their particular costing approach of one size fits all, and as a result NHS patients will die prematurely from pleural mesothelioma."
To read the full story please click through on the link below:
http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/yorknews/display.var.1303207.0.cancer_drug_block_blow.php
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