Commenting on the appeal
court ruling of 12 April 2006 in the case of Swindon Primary Care
Trust (PCT)
vs Ann Marie Rogers, Andrew Dillon, Chief Executive of the National
Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) said:
“ The
most important thing about this judgement is that it is a step towards
ending
the
uncertainty
for Mrs Rogers.
_ Today’s ruling is about how Swindon PCT
made their decision. It doesn’t reduce the importance of having
a system for licensing drugs, to make sure we know they are safe to
use, or the work that NICE does, in helping the NHS to use new drugs
in the right way. Without these things, we risk exposing patients to
risks and the health service to using its money unwisely.
_ Herceptin
still isn’t licensed and it won’t be until the summer.
If and when it is, NICE stands ready to advise patients and those who
care for them on the best way to use it. This will be advice for all
the women who might potentially benefit from it and for all the primary
care trusts who may need to make the funds available to enable its
use. It’s only in this way that consistent decisions can be taken
to bring an end to the uncertainty that faces both patients and the
NHS. ”
NICE is expecting to issue guidance to the NHS on the
use of Herceptin in July 2006, subject to the drug receiving a license.
NICE is actively tracking the licensing process
and will be in a position to go public on its recommendations quickly
once the drug has been licensed for use in the UK.
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those of IvyRose Ltd.. Material in this news item was released
by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) UK, on
13 April 2006. For further information, please visit their
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