Some 3 years ago my wife was diagnosed with the aggressive HER2 type breast cancer and was lucky enough to be treated with a newly available drug called Herceptin. She is currently free of cancer but we are both very annoyed at NICE in the UK for refusing another relatively new drug called Tyverb (or sometimes Tykerb, chemical name Lapatinib), this drug represents the best available treatment for the HER2 type of breast cancer which when it returns (and this type does return more often than not) and it usually returns in the brain,liver and bone as well as other places.
NICE has decided that this drug is not 'cost effective' and therefore will not be recommended for use in the UK, it is however widely used in other EU countries and in the USA. The drug has had a European License since December 2007 and NICE has taken just over 2 years to come to this decision despite support from Glaxo Smith Kline who make it being willing to part pay for its use as they are so confident in its effectiveness, and there is plenty of hard clinical trial evidence about its effectiveness.
An online petition has been started today at
iPetitions. We would be greatfull if any of you feel you can support this petition by signing it electronically. It is hoped that there will be a big enough voice to help push through an appeal against this decision by the closing date for appeals of 27th March 2009.
