Lapatinab - Refused Funding

Hi All

So NICE (?nasty) has refused to grant NHS patients Lapatinab. I just don’t understand this country sometimes?? I don’t even need this drug (yet?) but I just feel so gutted that there are people who have worked hard all their lives and paid taxes and are now not able to draw on the system they have paid into all this time. On the one hand the government keeps talking targets and talking up improvements in cancer care yet it’s these decisions which contribute to our poor survival statistics compared to other European countries.

I don’t understand the logic around the co-payments argument either. It’s like they want to throw the baby out with the bath water. My understanding is that there are patients out there who could JUST about afford the cost of these new drugs (not right I agree, but wouldn’t we all pull out all the stops to get the drugs if we had to) but then if they need hospital treatment to cope with side effects then they have to pay for that too??? So therefore people still have to be denied the drugs.

I shake my head in disbelief and pray that I remain a primary BC person because I have so little faith in what lies ahead should that sword of damocles fall on my shoulders…
Sorry to have a rant but it makes me so cross…

I am very disgusted by this decision. If Lapatinib costs less than Herceptin and you won’t get treated with both at the same time, what is the issue? NICE say that the drug only gives a benefit of 10 weeks and the company has offered to pay the first 12 weeks of treatment, so what would the NHS have to lose if the 10 weeks figure was true? I am fortunate that I have private medical insurance and started Lapatinib earlier this year.

If I were a drug addicted convicted criminal it would be my human right to have methadone in prison.

Just my thoughts.

Snoogle
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