Scottish Medicines Consortium rejects cancer drugs for routine use on NHS

By The Press Association16th January 2018News ScotlandCancer, End Of Life Care, Medication / Vaccines, News Scotland, Palliative Care

Drugs used to treat two rare cancers have been turned down for routine use by the NHS in Scotland.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) advised against the medicines as it ruled the cost outweighed the benefits, despite being allowed more flexibility around the decision since they are used to treat very rare and end-of-life conditions.

One of the drugs, nivolumab, also known as Opdivo, was not recommended as a routine treatment for advanced bladder cancer but was approved by the SMC last July for use on the NHS in Scotland to treat Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer of the white blood cells.

The consortium rejected the use of obinutuzumab, also known as Gazyvaro, as another treatment option for patients with previously untreated blood cancer follicular lymphoma.

Two further drugs – arbetocin, also known as Pabal, used to reduce the risk of bleeding in mothers following a Caesarean section, and eluxadoline, also known as Truberzi, a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea – were also not recommended for routine use by NHS Scotland, also on cost to benefit grounds.

SMC chairman Alan MacDonald said: “I am disappointed we were unable to accept these medicines.

“Although we were able to apply additional flexibility in our decision-making for two of these medicines, nivolumab and obinutuzumab, the committee needs to consider all the evidence presented.

“As the evidence of benefits in relation to cost for these medicines was lacking, they were not considered to be a good use of NHS resources.

“We know these decisions will be hard for patient groups and clinicians. We welcome resubmissions for medicines we are unable to accept, taking into account the issues raised.”