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Reply from MP

Thank you very much for your email of the 11thMay concerning the position of NICE in relation to the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia.

 I am so very sorry to hear about your diagnosis.

 As you are aware the consultation on the appraisal committee’s preliminary recommendations ends on the 27thMay and the appraisal committee is due to meet on the 9thJune. The appraisal committee’s preliminary recommendations are not NICE’s final guidance on these technologies and their recommendations may change after the consultation.

 I am very taken with the power of your email and I am today writing to the Minister of State for Health to convey the very powerful points that you have raised and I will of course come back to you when I have received his response.

 In the meantime I have copied below a Parliamentary Written Question that my colleague, James Clappison MP, tabled on the therapies for rare cancers in the NHS:-

 Mr Clappison:To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the capacity of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to carry out appraisals for innovative inhibitor therapies for rare cancers; what recent assessment he has made of the availability of such therapies; and if he will make a statement. [57177]

Paul Burstow:The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has appraised, or is appraising, a number of inhibitor therapies for less common cancers. Full information on NICE'S appraisal methodology is available in its “Guide to the Methods of Technology Appraisal”, available at:

www.nice.org.uk/aboutnice/howwework/devnicetech/technologyappraisalprocessguides/guidetothemethodsoftechnologyappraisal.jsp

Primary care trusts are legally obliged to fund drugs and treatments recommended in NICE technology appraisal guidance, within three months of guidance being published, unless the requirement is waived in a specific case.

We also launched the Cancer Drugs Fund in April 2011, which makes £200 million available in each of the next three years to help thousands more cancer patients access the drugs their clinicians believe will help them. [23rdMay 2011]

 Thank you very much for contacting me and I will of course come back to you as soon as I have heard back from the Minister.

 Yours sincerely,

 Nicholas Soames

Today I was very excited to receive a House of Commons envelope in the post!

My MP, Paul Goggins, Labour, has replied to my letter concerning the NICE decision and says he has written to Andrew Lansley with my concerns and will let me know as sson as he has a reply. However, he hasn't yet signed the EDM so I will email him again about this, whilst thanking him for the letter of course.

Well done on the petition everyone. I will Facebook it again with an update on the MP response.

Thank you for your letter of 8 May.

I have noted your concerns about the NICE appraisal committee's preliminary decision not to receommend Dasatinib, nilotinib or high dose imatinib for NHS treatment of Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia patients. As a sufferer from this condition I can of course appreciate your concern.

I have already in fact written on behalf of another constituent to both the Chief Executive of NICE and the Depaertment of Health on this matter.

As soon as I receive their responsses I will of course write to you again.

With best wishes,

Maria Miller

NICE REVIEW OF CANCER DRUGS FOR THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC MYELOID LEUKAEMIA

Session: 2010-11
Date tabled: 18.05.2011
Primary sponsor: Meale, Alan

Sponsors: Campbell, Ronnie Crausby, David Lavery, Ian Morris, Grahame M Sheridan, Jim

That this House is alarmed that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) announced in its recent Appraisal Consultation document reviewing the use of the drugs Dasatinib, Nilotinib and high dose Imatinib for patients suffering from resistant chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) that NICE had decided not to recommend NHS prescription of these life-saving cancer drugs for the treatment of this condition; is aware that currently more than 700 people in the UK discoverannuallythey have CML, and that currently more than 3,000 people are living with it; notes recent clinical evidence has established that patients benefiting from these drugs who show continued positive response from their use are likely to establish a normal average life expectancy the same as that experienced by most of the nation's population; and calls on the Government to act immediately to ensure chronic leukaemia sufferers acquire these drugs to deal with their health condition.

Total number of signatures: 30

Supported by:

Showing 30 out of 30

Name Party Constituency Date Signed
Blenkinsop, Tom Labour Party Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland 19.05.2011
Campbell, Ronnie Labour Party Blyth Valley 18.05.2011
Caton, Martin Labour Party Gower 24.05.2011
Clappison, James Conservative Party Hertsmere 23.05.2011
Clark, Katy Labour Party North Ayrshire and Arran 23.05.2011
Corbyn, Jeremy Labour Party Islington North 19.05.2011
Crausby, David Labour Party Bolton North East 18.05.2011
Dobbin, Jim Labour Party Heywood and Middleton 24.05.2011
Durkan, Mark Social Democratic and Labour Party Foyle 23.05.2011
Hancock, Mike Liberal Democrats Portsmouth South 23.05.2011
Heyes, David Labour Party Ashton under Lyne 24.05.2011
Hopkins, Kelvin Labour Party Luton North 19.05.2011
Lavery, Ian Labour Party Wansbeck 18.05.2011
Leech, John Liberal Democrats Manchester Withington 23.05.2011
Lloyd, Tony Labour Party Manchester Central 19.05.2011
Llwyd, Elfyn Plaid Cymru Dwyfor Meirionnydd 24.05.2011
Long, Naomi Alliance Party Belfast East 24.05.2011
McDonnell, John Labour Party Hayes and Harlington 24.05.2011
Meale, Alan Labour Party Mansfield 18.05.2011
Miller, Andrew Labour Party Ellesmere Port and Neston 24.05.2011
Morris,Grahame Labour Party Easington 18.05.2011
Munt, Tessa Liberal Democrats Wells Somerset 24.05.2011
Pugh, John Liberal Democrats Southport 23.05.2011
Rotheram, Steve Labour Party Liverpool Walton 19.05.2011
Shannon, Jim Democratic Unionist Party Strangford 24.05.2011
Sheridan, Jim Labour Party Paisley and Renfrewshire North 18.05.2011
Skinner, Dennis Labour Party Bolsover 19.05.2011
Watts, Dave Labour Party St Helens North 24.05.2011
Whittaker, Craig Conservative Party Calder Valley 23.05.2011
Williams, Hywel Plaid Cymru Arfon 23.05.2011

Quick update - MP Barbara Keeley replied to my uncle's letter and she has written to Andrew Lansley.

Fingers crossed for Thursday.