The Prostate Cancer Charity comments on NICE decision to reject
life-extending prostate cancer treatment on appeal.
The Prostate Cancer Charity comments on the National Institute
for Health and Clinical Excellence's (NICE) announcement that -
despite an extensive appeal process - it will not be reversing its
decision not to make cabazitaxel available to men on the NHS in
England and Wales.
Owen Sharp, Chief Executive of The Prostate Cancer Charity said:
"For months, thousands of men have been living with huge
uncertainty as NICE decides whether to make life-extending prostate
cancer treatments available on the NHS. Today's decision on
cabazitaxel follows an extensive appeal process. The simple truth
is that yet another treatment choice has been denied to men with
advanced disease.
"This decision can only be viewed as a huge blow to men living
with the very advanced stages of prostate cancer who currently have
very limited treatment options open to them.
"There is now even more riding on NICE's final decision
regarding abiraterone as this breakthrough drug is the only
treatment option that may be approved for universal use in the NHS,
which can offer these men the hope of extended, good quality life.
It is now critical that if men with prostate cancer are at last to
be given the choice and access to effective treatment options, NICE
and the manufacturer need to work together to find a way to make
this drug routinely available on the NHS."