The Prostate Cancer Charity comments on the decision by the
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) not to
recommend the newly licensed chemotherapy drug cabazitaxel as a
treatment for men with advanced prostate cancer, which has been
shown to significantly extend the lives of men in the advanced
stages of the disease.
Commenting on the decision, Owen Sharp, Chief Executive of The
Prostate Cancer Charity, explains: "This decision is a huge blow to
men living with the very advanced stages of prostate cancer who
currently have very limited treatment options open to them.
"Cabazitaxel is one of only two licensed drugs available in the
UK that offers the hope of precious extra time to men living with
advanced prostate cancer. NICE's decision not to recommend
this drug means that men in England and Wales with advanced
prostate cancer will find it much harder to access it through the
NHS*. We are very concerned that this will lead to a postcode
lottery and mean some men will not be able to get cabazitaxel in
time for it to benefit them.
"It is essential that men who have been prescribed this drug
because their doctors think it will benefit them can still access
it on the NHS. We hope that a review of NICE's recommendation
will take place as soon as the drug manufacturers are able to
provide more information about the difference this drug can make to
the quality of life of men with advanced prostate cancer."
* To access the drug, men in England should be able to use the
Cancer Drugs Fund, but men in Wales will have to apply for special
funding.