The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published interim guidance barring patients with advanced bowel cancer from routine NHS access to Merck Serono’s Erbitux and Amgen’s Vectibix, the only two personalised options still available for the disease.
News
FDA speedy review for BMS’ Opdivo in kidney cancer
US regulators are undertaking a priority review of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s immunotherapy Opdivo for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, the most common form of kidney cancer which kills more than 100,000 people every year.
Monitor consults on first ever NHS whistle-blowing policy
UK regulators have unveiled plans for the first ever National Health Service whistle-blowing policy to encourage and support those wishing to ring alarm bells over poor quality care, after a line of safety scandals in which patient harm could have been avoided if staff concerns had been listened to and addressed.
Roche’s Kadcyla too expensive for NHS, says NICE
Breast cancer patients and campaigners will be hugely disappointed with news this morning that Roche’s Kadcyla will not be routinely available on the National Health Service in England and Wales.
UK researchers develop pancreatic cancer treatment ‘breakthrough’
Ulster University has developed a pioneering treatment for pancreatic cancer, which researchers are hailing as the first breakthrough in over 40 years that could significantly boost survival rates.
US regulators approve J&J’s multiple myeloma drug
The US Food and Drug Administration has cleared Johnson & Johnson’s Darzalex as a treatment for patients with multiple myeloma.
FDA nod for Baxalta’s long-acting haemophilia drug
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Baxalta’s long-acting haemophilia drug Adynovate for both treatment and prevention of bleeding episodes in adults and adolescents with Haemophilia A.
MSD’s hep C combo cures 90% of patients with liver cirrhosis
MSD’s once-daily, single pill, fixed-combination therapy elbasvir/grazoprevir is causing a stir after an analysis of trial data showed that it was able to cure the vast majority of hepatitis C patients who also had compensated liver cirrhosis, a traditionally difficult-to-treat population.
NHS England streams extra £16m into GP pharmacists scheme
NHS England is to more than double its funding for a pilot scheme placing pharmacists in GP practice teams, now streaming a total of £31 million into the programme.
Private sector frees extra capacity to help NHS winter pressures
The independent sector has freed capacity for over 250,000 additional surgical operations and diagnostic tests to help support the NHS between December and March next year, in order to help it meet demand over the winter.
Speedy US OK for AZ’ targeted lung cancer therapy
US-based patients with a particular form of lung cancer could now get access to the first targeted therapy for their condition, after the country’s Food and Drug Administration issued accelerated clearance for AstraZeneca’s Tagrisso (formerly AZD9291).
US expands scope of Gilead’s Harvoni
The US Food and Drug Administration has expanded the scope of Harvoni allowing its use in patients with genotype 4, 5 and 6 chronic hepatitis C virus infection and in those co-infected with HIV.
BMA unveils planned dates for industrial action
In an unusual move, the British Medical Association has unveiled three dates in December for planned industrial action by junior doctors in England ahead of the outcome of its current ballot, which closes next week.
Job losses loom as Roche restructures for specialised drugs
Roche is restructuring its manufacturing network for small molecules to focus on specialised medicines produced in lower volumes.
Mental health services in England under ‘huge strain’
Mental health services in England are under “a huge amount of strain” as large-scale changes have had a negative impact on patient care, says a briefing paper by health think-tank The King’s Fund.
