Maintain pressure on reforms to protect NHSNICE rejects use of kidney cancer drugs
NICE will not approve bevacizumab (Avastin), sorafenib (Nexavar) and temsirolimus to treat kidney cancer patients
NICE had received appeals from five organisations to make the drugs the first treatment for people suffering from advanced kidney cancer, or cancer affecting many different areas of the body.
The also declined the approval of sorafenib and sunitinib (Sutent) as secondary treatments.
Welsh health minister Edwina Hart approved all four drugs for Wales in January, and it is unknown how NICE’s decision will affect patients already using them there.
The appealing organisations were Roche, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer and a joint appeal from the Rarer Cancers Forum and Macmillan Cancer Support.
Professor Peter Littlejohns, clinical and public health director at NICE, said: “We recommended the use of sunitinib for first line renal cancer in March 2009, so one of these new treatments is now available.
“The evidence to support the use of the other first and second line treatments isn’t strong enough to justify using NHS funds, which could be used for other cancer treatment programmes or in other treatment areas.”
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