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news.The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in the UK may lift the ban on certain kidney cancer drugs reversing its earlier decision to ban four drugs on the NHS - Sutent, Nexavar, Avastin and Torisel.
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Previously, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has refused to approve the kidney cancer drugs as they cost more than $70,000 a year per patient. However, the public outcry against its decision and availability of new data regarding the effectiveness of the drugs has forced NICE to overhaul its previous decision. NICE has also promised to review its drug appraisal system and the criteria for examining end-of-life drugs.
Pfizer and Roche, the makers of Sutent and Avastin, are also believed to be in talks with NICE regarding a new a pricing arrangement that would see the NHS paying for a drug if it extended a patient’s life by an agreed time. However, if the patient experienced no benefit and died, the pharmaceutical company would refund the cost.
The Daily Mail has quoted Pat Hanlon of the charity Kidney Cancer UK, as saying: “No decision has been made by Nice and we are still campaigning for the ban to be lifted, but we have reason to be hopeful.”