Stephanie Dearden
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Tooting
Tel: 020-7771-2551 or 07985649807
Letters to the Editor
NICE changes still won't help all women needing Herceptin
Friday, 4th November 2005
SIR-
The recent announcement that changes enabling National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to produce faster guidance on life-saving drugs will be implemented, the Government has at last responded to Liberal Democrat calls for a swifter process for approving new drugs for the NHS.
Many women who could benefit from Herceptin will still not be able to get it until next summer. Women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer now cannot afford to wait. Sadly, the announcement makes little difference to them. Doctors who feel their patients would benefit from Herceptin should not be prevented from prescribing it off licence.
The Secretary of State for Health, Patricia Hewitt said that Herceptin should not be refused by any primary care trust solely on the grounds of cost. This is not only a local matter; it needs to be decided nationally and we need guidance and a lead from Secretary Hewitt. She cannot hide behind the PCTs and say, "It's over to you. You make the decisions and find the money."
St. Georges Tooting is heavily in debt, and women must not be denied this drug simply because of those financial problems, but access should be decided on the basis of clinical need. They are unlikely to feel that they can afford to prescribe the drug. They need not only guidance and a lead from the Secretary of State, but some help.
Members of Parliament agreed that it is no good for the Secretary of State to simply say that prescription for the drug is a matter for PCTs if they cannot afford it, this will lead to another postcode lottery and sadly Tooting will miss out yet again.
Stephanie Dearden has written to St. Georges Chief Executive, Mr Peter Homa urging the Trust to establish a policy on the use of the drug Herceptin locally.
ENDS
Stephanie Dearden
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Tooting
Notes to editors