Breast cancer drug Herceptin is overhyped and overpriced, warn New Zealand commentators in the wake of Medsafe estimates it could cost up to $11.5 million for every life saved.
Last week New Zealand became the first country to give Herceptin provisional approval for the aggressive HER2 form of early breast cancer.
However, a decision on whether the drug – currently NZ $70,000 per patient annually – would be taxpayer-funded was unlikely to be reached by PHARMAC before July.
In announcing its approval, Medsafe said trial data for the use of Herceptin on early breast cancer was inadequate for full registration but two major studies showed it did reduce the risk of cancer recurring and, ultimately, could save lives.
Medsafe said the data indicated Herceptin would have to be given to between six and 12 breast cancer patients to prevent one case of the cancer returning and to between 11 and 165 women to save one life. The cost per life saved was therefore at least $770,000 but potentially as much as $11.5m.
United Kingdom journalist Jacky Law, whose book on the pharmaceutical industry is published in New Zealand this month, said the public had become hysterical about the benefits of Herceptin.
"But it isn't that great, not because it doesn't work, but the other drugs are also very good, such as Tamoxifen which costs very little. People have just really got it out of proportion.
"They are good developments, they are just hugely overpriced."
More here.
Insiders' view: Sense at last!
A UK PHARMAC would stop "postcode prescribing" and increase rationality rather rationing in prescribing!
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