WONDER' DRUG BAN Breast cancer patients in England to be denied Kadcyla that extends life by up to nine months – and is available in Scotland
BREAST cancer patients in England are set to be denied a wonder drug that will now be available on the NHS in Scotland.
The £90,000-a-year medicine, called Kadcyla, can extend life by up to nine months.
But health chiefs in England have ruled it is too expensive – and it will be withdrawn by the summer unless makers Roche drop the price.
The drug firm has already offered the NHS a discount to treat the 1,200 women a year who could benefit.
Now the decision by the Scottish Medicines Consortium to approve Kadcyla has put pressure on its English counterpart to reconsider.
Watchdog the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is set put out fresh guidelines for England next month.
In December it rejected the treatment, saying the price is too high.
But charities have since campaigned for a compromise deal and hope the watchdog will finally approve the drug.