Wide regional variations in access to cancer drugs “unacceptable”, says PAC report
Regional variations in the supply and prescription of approved cancer drugs have been dubbed “unacceptable” by the All-Party Public Accounts Committee.
The inquiry found, as an example, that between 12 and 18 months after
approval by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence in early 2002,
the use of trastuzumab (Herceptin) for metastatic breast cancer ranged
across cancer networks from 90 per cent to under 10 per cent of eligible
women. The report entitled “The NHS cancer plan: a progress report” (PDF 830K),
said: “While improvements have been made, unacceptably wide variations
in usage of NICE approved cancer drugs persist [in] different parts of
the country.”
In 2004 the Department of Health looked at all 16 cancer drugs appraised
by NICE and reported that regional variations were largely due to staffing
and capacity issues. Recommendations to promote the rapid uptake of cancer
treatments recommended by NICE were accepted and are now in the course
of being implemented.
The PAC report said: “The department believes that unacceptable
variations should therefore be addressed while allowing some room for
professional differences of
approach.” |
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