Does the Government expect the situation to get worse as more cancer drugs become available in coming years?
We know that the number of new drugs licensed for use in different cancers is likely to grow considerably over the next decade. Industry sources indicate that drugs to target cancer account for over half of all new drugs currently being developed. NICE therefore plays a vital role in ensuring that all patients have access to clinically appropriate and cost effective treatments. If it recommends that a treatment should be used in the NHS, then a PCT must fund its use for eligible patients within three months. With total funding of the NHS now at record levels, having trebled since 1997, we expect PCTs to plan ahead and to consider the implications of introducing all cancer drugs that may be recommended by NICE in the future.
