Cancer patients
are to get greater access to cancer drugs recommended by their
doctors as a result of a new £50 million fund announced by Health
Secretary Andrew Lansley today.
Publishing a report by National Cancer Director Professor Sir
Mike Richards on international variations in drug usage that shows
the UK’s uptake of new drugs falls behind other European
countries, the Health Secretary said that from October, an extra
£50 million will be available to help patients get access to
innovative new cancer drugs.
The funding means that cancer patients will be able to access
these drugs now to help extend life or improve quality of life,
ahead of longer term plans to change the way the NHS pays for
drugs. This interim measure will help those cancer patients who
need access to drugs now, and precedes the Cancer Drugs Fund due
to commence in April next year. Doctors will be put in charge of
deciding how the funding is spent for their patients locally based
on the advice of cancer specialists.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said:
“I promised that I would help patients in England get cancer
drugs that are readily available in the rest of Europe.
It's a scandal that we are strong in cancer research and
participation in clinical trials in the UK, yet NHS patients
aren't always seeing the benefits from the research
swiftly enough.
"Patients should have access to innovative cancer drugs
that can extend or improve their quality of life and which their
doctors have recommended, which is why I'm determined to
take action now. This funding will help to ensure that this
happens, and that we meet the needs of cancer patients immediately
while we set about our longer term plans to change the way we pay
for drugs so that patients get better access to medicines and the
NHS gets better value for money.
“I thank Professor Sir Mike Richards for his thorough review.
This shows that whilst, like other countries, our uptake of drugs
across different disease areas is mixed, we need to act now to
improve access to newer cancer drugs.”
National Cancer Director, Professor Sir Mike
Richards said:
“My report shows a mixed picture in the uptake of drugs across a
range of diseases and conditions. In the UK, we have shown
encouraging results in NHS usage of statins to reduce
cardiovascular disease.
“My findings show however, that usage of new cancer drugs is
relatively low in comparison with international averages and I
therefore welcome the additional £50 million being made available
this year for cancer drugs. This will mean that cancer patients
will begin to benefit from new drugs now in advance of the main
Cancer Drugs Fund which will start from April next year.”
Minister for Universities and Science David
Willetts said:
"The UK is a world leader in researching and developing
innovative medicines to improve health and save lives. The swift
uptake of new treatments within the NHS is vital so patients can
benefit, and I welcome Professor Richards’ recommendation that we
need to do more to achieve this.
“Sustaining the rapid adoption of new advances is also important
to promote research and development by the life sciences industry.
Through the Office for Life Sciences, my department is committed
to working with the Department of Health to ensure that the
changes we are making to the NHS deliver both health and economic benefits.”
In taking forward the work of the White Paper, the Government
will be seeking the views of healthcare professionals, patients,
carers and the public to engage them in taking control of their
NHS. The consultation on proposals for the Cancer Drugs Fund from
April 2011 will be launched later this year.
Notes to Editors
The White Paper Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS, was
published on 12 July 2010 and set out the Government’s strategy
for the NHS.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_117353
Professor Sir Mike Richards’ report International Variations of
Drug Usage can be found at:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_117962The
£50 million funding will be available from October 2010. For more
information please contact the Department of Health press office
on 020 7210 5221.
Contacts:
Department of Health
Phone: 020 7210 5221
NDS.DH@coi.gsi.gov.uk