When will it be licensed for use in early stage breast cancer?
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has said that it will fast-track the review of the drug, but manufacturers Roche still have to submit an application to European licensing authorities before NICE can consider it. In the meantime, women up-and-down the country are challenging their local NHS trusts when they refuse to fund the treatment. Trusts can still fund drugs which are awaiting NICE approval, but they tend not to because they argue it is hard to justify the outlay when cash is tight in the health service. Why did Ann Marie Rogers go to court? She said she was prescribed the drug by her doctor but has been refused it by local health bosses, and has borrowed 5,000 to fund her treatment. But she said she cannot pay anymore and accused Swindon Primary Care Trust of putting “money before life”. The PCT denied the move is solely motivated by finances, pointing out the local strategic health authority, in charge of overseeing the trust, has said the drug s
