From the Minister of State for Health Services to James Clappison MP
"Thank you for your letter to Andy Burnham enclosing correspondence from your constituent ……… about the availability of dasatinib and nilotinib for the treatment of CML
I should stress that the National Institue for Health and Clinical Ecxellence (NICE) has not yet published final guidance on the use of dasatinib and nilotinib. NICE has recently issued draft guidance that does not recommend the use of dasatinib and nilotinib for the treatment of CML and registered stakeholders had until December 7 to submit comments. NICE’s appraisal committee will meet to consider the responses to the consultation and NICE currently expects to issue its final guidance to the NHS in April 2010.
NICE is an independent body, which makes decisions on the clinical and cost effectiveness of products based on thorough assessment and in context of a finite NHS budget. Some of these treatments costs thousands of pounds, so NHS bodies must find a balance between funding expensive drugs for a limited number of patients and providing services and treatments that will benefit many other people.
We recognise that the Institutes decisions have serious implications for patients and there carers. These are very difficult decisions and they are made only after careful consideration.
It would not be appropriate for Ministers or officials to intervene in an ongoing appraisal. However, several patient groups are registered stakeholders in this appraisal and you may wish to raise your concerns about NICE’s guidance with one of these organisations. Details of stakeholder organisations can be found at www.guidance.nice.org.uk/ta/wave17/18
Where Nice guidance is not yet available for a treatment, the NHS Constitution gives patients a right to expect local funding decisions on the availability of drugs and treatments to be made rationally and on a basis of the available evidence. NHS organisations are also required to have processes in place for the consideration of exceptional cases even where nice has not recommended a particular drug or treatment
Signed"
My opinion is that we should put the word out and get rid of these Ministers who does not want to get his fingers burnt by sticking his pennyworth in. ITS AN ELECTION YEAR GET RID!!!!!