Cancer Drugs Fund removes funding for two myeloma drugs

The move is part of a second reassessment of the CDF. Two myeloma drugs Imnovid (pomalidomide) and Revlimid, will no longer be funded on the NHS in England.

The drugs will now be not available for relapsed myeloma patients. However, patients currently receiving the treatment will continue to get the access.

Even though patients will not be able to access Revlimid at first relapse, it is still approved for myeloma patients at second relapse via the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

CDF chairman Peter Clark said: "There is no escaping the fact that we face a difficult set of choices, but it is our duty to ensure we get maximum value from every penny available on behalf of patients.

"We must ensure we invest in those treatments that offer the most benefit, based on rigorous evidence-based clinical analysis and an assessment of the cost of those treatments."

Commenting on the announcement, Myeloma UK chief executive Eric Low said, "The news that these drugs are being removed from the Cancer Drugs Fund is a devastating blow to patients and is a significant step backwards in the treatment of myeloma."

NHS England and the NICE will soon consult on a planned new system to commission cancer drugs.

The new system will be designed to provide the NHS with a new way to get the best price for cancer drugs. More treatments will be made available with an increased focus on evaluation.