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| Watchdog 'to reject cancer drug' | Watchdog 'to reject cancer drug' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Bone cancer patients in England and Wales may be denied a life-extending drug, which is available in Scotland. | |
| Guidance from the NHS's drugs watchdog, due next week, is likely to say the same as its earlier draft - that more research is needed into Velcade. | Guidance from the NHS's drugs watchdog, due next week, is likely to say the same as its earlier draft - that more research is needed into Velcade. |
| Patients and health charities have condemned the proposals by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. | Patients and health charities have condemned the proposals by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. |
| Velcade slows the advance of myeloma - cancer of bone marrow plasma cells. | Velcade slows the advance of myeloma - cancer of bone marrow plasma cells. |
| Around 4,000 people are diagnosed with myeloma in the UK each year. | Around 4,000 people are diagnosed with myeloma in the UK each year. |
| 'Better than chemotherapy' | 'Better than chemotherapy' |
| The charity, Myeloma UK, said no patient in the UK should die without having access to the drug. | The charity, Myeloma UK, said no patient in the UK should die without having access to the drug. |
| A trial last year showed Velcade could extend the life expectancy of a patient by an average of six months more than standard treatment. Treatment costs about £18,000 per patient. | A trial last year showed Velcade could extend the life expectancy of a patient by an average of six months more than standard treatment. Treatment costs about £18,000 per patient. |
| The drug was approved for use in Scotland in 1994, where it is thought to be used as a last resort. | The drug was approved for use in Scotland in 1994, where it is thought to be used as a last resort. |
| The Daily Mail says it has seen a leaked ruling, which says the drug is more clinically effective than chemotherapy but is not regarded as "cost effective". | The Daily Mail says it has seen a leaked ruling, which says the drug is more clinically effective than chemotherapy but is not regarded as "cost effective". |
| Isn't three years of my life worth anything? Jacky Pickles | Isn't three years of my life worth anything? Jacky Pickles |
| Jacky Pickles, 44, one of three women with bone cancer from Keighley in West Yorkshire, is campaigning to get the drug approved. | Jacky Pickles, 44, one of three women with bone cancer from Keighley in West Yorkshire, is campaigning to get the drug approved. |
| She said they will take the fight to court if necessary. | She said they will take the fight to court if necessary. |
| "If NICE is going to get away with not backing these drugs, then we will be stuck in the dark ages. | "If NICE is going to get away with not backing these drugs, then we will be stuck in the dark ages. |
| "Isn't three years of my life worth anything?" | "Isn't three years of my life worth anything?" |
| Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said the NHS had become a "Scottish and a separate English health service". | Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said the NHS had become a "Scottish and a separate English health service". |
| Quality of life | Quality of life |
| NICE, which regulates primary care trusts in England and Wales, has come under repeated fire over its decisions not to fund drugs. | NICE, which regulates primary care trusts in England and Wales, has come under repeated fire over its decisions not to fund drugs. |
| The final guidance for the use of Velcade is expected to be published on Tuesday. It would then be formally issued before the end of the year. | The final guidance for the use of Velcade is expected to be published on Tuesday. It would then be formally issued before the end of the year. |
| Objectors however can appeal against their decision. | Objectors however can appeal against their decision. |
| If reports are true, this represents probably the single biggest setback in the history of the treatment of myeloma Spokeswoman for Myeloma UK | If reports are true, this represents probably the single biggest setback in the history of the treatment of myeloma Spokeswoman for Myeloma UK |
| NICE said it would not comment on the leaked ruling, but said it may bring forward its publication. | NICE said it would not comment on the leaked ruling, but said it may bring forward its publication. |
| A spokesman for the watchdog said expert advisors review all of the evidence on cancer treatments to determine whether they add benefits for patients when compared with other available treatments. | A spokesman for the watchdog said expert advisors review all of the evidence on cancer treatments to determine whether they add benefits for patients when compared with other available treatments. |
| "The benefits that we assess include whether a drug extends life, and whether a drug improves patients' quality of life. | "The benefits that we assess include whether a drug extends life, and whether a drug improves patients' quality of life. |
| "NICE has appraised 26 cancer treatments to date, and we have recommended 25 of them for use by the NHS." | "NICE has appraised 26 cancer treatments to date, and we have recommended 25 of them for use by the NHS." |
| A spokeswoman for Myeloma UK said: "If reports are true, this represents probably the single biggest setback in the history of the treatment of myeloma." | A spokeswoman for Myeloma UK said: "If reports are true, this represents probably the single biggest setback in the history of the treatment of myeloma." |
| She said the entire myeloma community, including Myeloma UK and the other charities involved in the appraisal, were devastated. | She said the entire myeloma community, including Myeloma UK and the other charities involved in the appraisal, were devastated. |
| "Velcade is a proven and licensed treatment and, quite simply, no myeloma patient in the UK should die without having access to it." | "Velcade is a proven and licensed treatment and, quite simply, no myeloma patient in the UK should die without having access to it." |