Hundreds of UK women who have been denied access to the breast-cancer drug Herceptin may now receive the, as yet, unlicenced treatment (for early breast cancer) after the Court of Appeal ruled that an NHS trust had acted "irrationally and unlawfully" in refusing to prescribe it to a patient.Ann Marie Rogers, 54, who has three children, burst into tears after three judges yesterday overturned an earlier High Court ruling that Swindon Primary Care Trust had been within its rights to decide not to fund the £20,000 cost of treating her with the drug.
Mrs Rogers has been diagnosed with an early but aggressive form of breast cancer and had described the PCT's decision as a "death sentence". The Court of Appeal ruling could also have implications for hundreds of other women who have been told that they cannot receive Herceptin on the NHS despite having the form of breast cancer that can benefit from the treatment.
Insiders' view: Good luck to Ann Marie and the other women.
However, the drug costs will have to be saved somewhere else. Big Pharma drug pricing in the UK is currently under review and this will pile on the pressure for changing PPRS.
The government may "get even" another way!
Source: Independent
No comments:
Post a Comment