Tarceva Cancer Drug Ruled Out.
Drug that helps with lung cancer is ruled out by Health Watchdog
A drug that has been proven to keep people with lung cancer alive for longer has been ruled out by health watchdogs as its considered not to be good use of NHS resources.The manufacturers of the drug Tarceva said its not a cure for lung cancer but it does increase the chances of staying alive after a year by 42%.
However the National Institute of Clinical Excellence has ruled out Tarceva due to the amount of money it costs which is £6,796 for just the average 125 days of the treatment.But the drug is being allowed in some places and has already been issued in Scotland,but Professor Alex Markham who is the chief executive of Cancer Reasearch UK said it would be "incomprehensive for such a drug to be available to patients in Edinburgh but not in Newcastle".
However the National Institute of Clinical Excellence has ruled out Tarceva due to the amount of money it costs which is £6,796 for just the average 125 days of the treatment.But the drug is being allowed in some places and has already been issued in Scotland,but Professor Alex Markham who is the chief executive of Cancer Reasearch UK said it would be "incomprehensive for such a drug to be available to patients in Edinburgh but not in Newcastle".