Cutting funding on drugs would stop people with terminal illnesses having the chance to live that much longer, and closing the door on most new treatments. Lets hope it never comes to that. Joanna
The NHS should not spend more than £13,000 a year on drugs for individuals because higher spending does “more harm than good” by diverting funds from larger groups of patients, economists have said. A study by the Centre of Health Economics, at the University of York, says health spending on costly drugs, especially those which prolong the lives of terminally-ill cancer patients, is not an effective use of NHS resources, and says costs should be capped much lower. But health watchdogs last night hit out at the research, and said following the advice would mean “closing the door” on the majority of new drugs for patients. Under current NHS guidance, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence rarely backs drugs which cost more than around £40,000 a year, but cancer drugs which cost more can be funded via a special NHS Cancer Drugs Fund.
It means breast cancer drugs such as Kadcyla, which costs around £90,000 a year, and can extend life by an average of six months, in those for whom it is suitable, are funded by the NHS, despite their high costs.
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Debate about which drugs the NHS should fund has been hotly debated Photo: Alamy
Filed under: NHS, cutting costs, drugs, funding, NHS
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