Prostate cancer patients denied expensive drug

  • Once-daily pill giving extra months of life is ‘too expensive’
  • Abiraterone is latest cancer drug facing an NHS ban

By
Jenny Hope

Last updated at 12:04 AM on 2nd February 2012

A ‘breakthrough’ drug that gives extra months of life to men with advanced prostate cancer has been rejected for use on the NHS.

The once-daily pill was developed by UK scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and trials were partly funded by British charities.

But it has been branded as too expensive by the rationing watchdog the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

'Not cost-effective': Abiraterone (pictured) is the latest prostate cancer drug to face an NHS ban despite being proven to extend life for men with advanced disease

‘Not cost-effective’: Abiraterone (pictured) is the latest prostate cancer drug to face an NHS ban despite being proven to extend life for men with advanced disease

Deadly toll: Prostate cancer has been described in the past as a low-profile 'Cinderella' disease

Deadly toll: Prostate cancer has been described in the past as a low-profile ‘Cinderella’ disease

Abiraterone is the latest prostate cancer drug to face an NHS ban despite being proven to extend life for men with advanced disease. Last month another drug – Jevtana – was turned down as ‘not cost-effective’.

It is a fresh blow for doctors and patients who hoped a new era of drugs could lessen the deadly toll of prostate cancer, which has been described in the past as a low-profile ‘Cinderella’ disease.

Trials show men taking abiraterone and a steroid survived for nearly 15 months, while men given steroid treatment and a ‘dummy’ pill lived for 11 months on average.

But some patients live far longer than expected, including Britons who have survived on the drug for more than four years after developing advanced disease. The drug also eased pain for twice as many men in the trials.

Bitter blow: Campaigners condemned the draft decision by Nice, which could deny sufferers and their families vital time together

Bitter blow: Campaigners condemned the draft decision by Nice, which could deny sufferers and their families vital time together

A year’s course of treatment costs £35,000, which Nice says is too expensive.

Campaigners last night condemned the draft decision by Nice. Owen Sharp, chief executive of the Prostate Cancer Charity, which helped fund trials, said: ‘This draft decision is a bitter blow to thousands of men and their families – and must be overturned.’

Patients have been getting abiraterone, also known as Zytiga, through the Cancer Drugs Fund, set up by the Government to pay for treatments not approved by Nice.

But the fund only applies in England until 2014, which denies access to patients in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
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The cambridge don….Please Please stop giving people false hope, you do it everytime there is a cancer story in the DM. You are very dangerous indeed. This is the very same advice a certain very famous software developer took, and where is he now?

I am a nurse, I look after 20 patients, I work 3 twelve hour shifts per week. I earn £23,000 per year. If you want to spend £35,000 to give an elderly patient four months extra life then I would have to question your use of our taxpayers money.
James.

The misandry continues. I think it evidently clear what sex is given priority. Huge operations to cervical and breast cancers, screenings and jabs. What do males get? Zilch effectively in comparison.

Cynic, Bath 02/2/2012…….Im sure your well meaning but theres a moon out tonight that needs howling at.

Well, the nice executives have got to find the money for their outrageous salaries and bonuses from somewhere, haven’t they? You wouldn’t actually expect the poor dears to go out and get a proper job and work for a living like the rest of us, would you? Heaven forbid, they wouldn’t last a day in the real world.

Every cloud has a Silver lining. Firstly, this Drug is not a cure. Secondly, the Drug Companies (Big-Pharma) have not come up with one single cure for Cancer in over 100 years. It is a statistical fact that you stand more chance of extending your life by not having drugs than having them. It is also a fact that the majority of Cancer victims do NOT die of the disease – they die as a result of the treatment. O.K. so where’s the Silver-lining, I hear you ask? Cancer is not only treatable by ‘Nature’, it is curable. There are numerous cures, but you’ve probably not heard of them, and that is because Big-Pharma can’t patent them and make £Billions in profits, therefore they go to great lengths to ensure you are unaware. I urge you for starters to watch G Edward Griffin’s ‘A World Without Cancer’. Believe it or not, your doctor is not allowed to talk about Cures – only Treatment or Management. Well, I’m NOT a doctor. You can trust me! Get well soon, and Good Health to everybody. God Bless

Disgusting!…. the thousands that people put into Cancer Research our NHS through our National Insurance payments every year and what for ? we will never be able to afford the treatment needed to stay alive so what is the point of it all.God Help Us All.

Just look up Zytiga side effects on drugs.com to see why NICE might not be keen on this drug.
Given the record of drug companies with statins (see Baycol); they are not to be trusted.

once again nhs priorities are out of whack…they can afford sex change operations and breast enlargements, but dont care about saving lives….I think that since the uk is so over populated they are wanting to do this to people who are sick….what is the world coming to?

And pray tell me how expensive the treatment is for patients now getting this drug for us Tax payers??

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