Cancer patients' delight as drug is prescribed at last (From Oxford Mail)

Cancer patients' delight as drug is prescribed at last

7:14pm Thursday 26th March 2009 in

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TWO out of two kidney cancer patients in Oxfordshire whose GPs recommended them for the treatment have been prescribed the life-extending drug Sunitinib since last month after Nice – the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence – ruled the drug should be routinely prescribed.

Previously, from summer 2006 to the start of this year, only three out of 30 applications for the drug in the county were granted, because of Oxfordshire NHS Primary Care Trust’s policy of only giving it to “exceptional” patients.

PCT spokesman Simon Ward said: “Providing the patient meets the clinical criteria for prescribing of Sunitinib and their consultant recommends it, we will fund it.”

Kidney cancer patients launched a campaign to receive Sunitinib after Nice ruled the drug “too expensive”, but overturned its decision after manufacturer Pfizer offered to make it cheaper.

Nice also took into account new rules requiring greater funding for expensive drugs.

Cancer sufferers Clive Stone, 61, left, from Freeland, and Peter Beckett, above, 62, from Long Hanborough, have been told they may need it.

Mr Beckett said: “Hopefully I will never need it, but at least I know it will be available. It’s fantastic news. We’ve all got something to pat ourselves on the back for.”

Broadcaster James Whale, chairman of the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer, added: “Finally, we have justice for the kidney cancer community.”