Selby patient fights decision to veto new drug (From York Press)
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Selby patient fights decision to veto new drug
8:52am Thursday 16th February 2012 in Health & Wellbeing
A CANCER patient from Selby is fighting a decision not to allow the prescribing of a drug on the NHS which he believes could prolong his life by years.
Bryan Metcalf, 65, of Hambleton, was diagnosed with prostate cancer 15 years ago and has kept the illness at bay through a variety of treatments.
However, he said the progress of the disease means he may soon face chemotherapy treatment and would like to take the drug Abiraterone afterwards, which medical trials suggest can prolong life.
Earlier this month the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) which issues guidance on drugs and medical treatment, said the medicine could potentially extend life by only three months, compared to a placebo, and said the expense of the drug could not justify this.
Mr Metcalfe, who is also head of the York and Selby Prostate Cancer Support group, said: “The chemotherapy (docetaxel) is known to work with some, but not all prostate cancer patients, and the side effects vary immensely from not much to a great impact.
“Some people think why bother going through chemo only to suffer so much when it’s finished. This is different because it could give two years’ quality of life after chemo. And there’s the possibility it could be the drug of choice over chemotherapy.”
Sir Andrew Dillon, Chief Executive of NICE said: “Abiraterone is a drug that could potentially extend life by more than three months, compared with placebo. “For patients one of the key benefits of this drug is that it can be taken orally at home. We are therefore disappointed not to be able to recommend it for use on the NHS. However, it is an expensive drug and the independent advisory committee that made this decision did not feel the drug provided enough benefit to patients to justify the price the NHS is being asked to pay, even with the discount that the manufacturer has offered.”
Mr Metcalf said he had now written to NICE asking them to think again. The issue will now go out to public consultation before the draft guidance is drawn up.
For more information, go to www.nice.org.uk
