NICE rules women should have access to cancer drug Herceptin
09/06/2006
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The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has recommended that women in the early stages of breast cancer should be able to be treated with Herceptin.
The NHS drugs watchdog published draft guidance this week.
The drug received its European licence to weeks ago.
Herceptin is not recommended if it is believed it could exacerbate an existing heart problem.
Final guidance is due to be published in July.
Specialist clinical negligence solicitor Yogi Amin, who represented Ann Marie-Rogers in her fight to receive Herceptin said:
"I am delighted that Herceptin is now licensed."
"I hope this will bring an end to the agony of those people who have been waiting for the treatment their doctor has prescribed, but which has been denied to them by their Primary Care Trust (PCT)."
"However a postcode lottery still exists in some cases of people with HER2 positive breast cancer, where the drug has been licensed for the last 3 years."
A trial of the drug has shown it can increase the chance a woman treated for early stage breast cancer will still be disease-free after three years by 6%.
More than 5,000 women in the UK would be eligible to receive Herceptin.
Herceptin cannot be given to women at risk of with heart failure, or who suffer from severe chest pain, and controlled high blood pressure.
NICE said that heart function must be assessed before prescribing the drug, and recommended that women who are prescribed Herceptin should have regular heart checks.
It is thought that up to 10% of women with late stage breast cancer will not be able to take the drug because of risk that it could exacerbate heart problems.
The news was welcomed by charities including Breast Cancer Care and Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
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