Press release -

Prostate Cancer UK: NICE and Astellas must work together to reverse disappointing decision for men

Today (Thursday 11 June 2015) the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has announced its draft decision not to recommend advanced prostate cancer drug – enzalutamide – for use before chemotherapy on the NHS in England.
Owen Sharp, Chief Executive of Prostate Cancer UK said: “This draft announcement once again leaves men with advanced prostate cancer in England without routine access to another clinically effective treatment. Enzalutamide has been shown to have a great range of benefits when prescribed to men who have not previously had chemotherapy. However, what should be a cut and dry decision to recommend it seems to have come down to issues about cost and uncertainties with the clinical trial data.
“It’s the same old story, and we need to see NICE and the manufacturer work together to reverse this draft decision. Clinicians should have the flexibility to prescribe the drug at this earlier stage if they know it would help the men they are treating.
“This and other recent draft prostate cancer drug decisions serve to reiterate the urgent need for reform of the drug appraisal process in England. That’s why we are working as part of a coalition of cancer charities with government to deliver a long-term, sustainable solution to the drug appraisal and funding systems. We need a system that delivers the best decisions for patients and their individual situation.”

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Topics

  • Health Organisations

Categories

  • prostate cancer
  • nice
  • owen sharp
  • enzalutamide

Notes to Editors:
For more information or to set up an interview please contact Mary Frampton at Prostate Cancer UK press office at mary.frampton@prostatecanceruk.org, 0203 310 7101.
- Enzalutamide is currently available on the Cancer Drugs Fund in England for use before chemotherapy for men with advanced prostate cancer which is no longer responding to hormone treatment
- The SMC in Scotland is currently in the process of appraising this use of the drug. The equivalent bodies in Wales and Northern Ireland tend to follow on from NICE’s final decisions.
- Enzalutamide was approved for use after chemotherapy by NICE in May 2014. Both Northern Ireland and Wales have endorsed NICE’s recommendation. The SMC approved enzalutamide for use after chemotherapy in October 2013.
- On 5th June 2015 NICE announced a draft decision not to recommend hormone therapy degarelix for any man with advanced, hormone-dependent prostate cancer, it also announced a draft rejection of radium-223 for men who have not had chemotherapy, though it was approved for those who have had chemotherapy.