Patients with a form of incurable blood cancer have been dealt a “huge blow” after a treatment was not recommended for use on the NHS in England, a charity has said.
However, Nice has now issued final draft guidance on IsaPD, saying the cost-effectiveness of the drug is “considerably higher” than what it “considers an acceptable use of NHS resources”.Shelagh McKinlay, director of research and advocacy at Myeloma UK, said: “This decision is a huge blow and many patients will rightly feel like the rug has been pulled from under their feet.
IsaPD was recommended for patients who had had at least two other therapies and had shown progression since their last treatment. The decision by Nice will not affect patients on IsaPD treatment that was funded before the draft guidance was published. “We will be submitting an appeal, and we won’t rest until IsaPD is available to everyone who needs it, no matter where they live.”He has been on IsaPD since 2021.
“Therefore, any removal of access to an effective treatment option inevitably affects the psychological wellbeing of all myeloma patients at all stages of treatment and directly leads to a substantial reduction in their quality of life.”