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Breast Cancer Care’s statement on the NICE draft guidance on Perjeta (pertuzumab) for this week is below.

Breast Cancer Care’s statement on the NICE draft guidance on Perjeta (pertuzumab) for this week is below.

Breast Cancer Care’s statement on the NICE draft guidance on Perjeta (pertuzumab) for this week is below. Please get in touch for any further information.

Statement

Commenting on the decision by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) not to recommend pertuzumab (also known as Perjeta and made by Roche Pharmaceuticals) for the treatment of advanced HER2 positive breast cancer, Liz Carroll, Assistant Director of Services at leading support charity Breast Cancer Care said:

“This rejection of yet another treatment for patients with advanced breast cancer will be extremely disappointing news for those living with the disease.

“Whilst we recognise that decisions about approval of cancer drugs are based on many complex factors, including absolute gains in overall survival and impact on quality of life, many patients are telling us of their increasing anxiety about lack of access to new treatments and their perception that more are being turned down. 

“Looking ahead to the introduction of ‘value based pricing’ for drugs next year, we want to see a clear assurance for patients that this will enable more, not fewer approved treatment options and that drugs that delay disease progression or improve symptom control  for people with advanced disease are seen as of equal value as those that improve overall survival.

“For patients with advanced HER2 + breast cancer, Perjeta (pertuzumab), used with Herceptin and chemotherapy, can help to delay progression of this aggressive disease, but has been found not cost-effective for the NHS. We await the results of the consultation period and the final guidance issued from NICE on Perjeta.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

For further media information, please contact
Sophie Softley Pierce/Sophie Howells
sophie.pierce@breastcancercare.org.uk / sophie.howells@breastcancercare.org.uk
0207 960 3505/3450
Out of office hours: 0770 290 1334

About Breast Cancer Care
When breast cancer and its treatment overshadow everything, we see the woman underneath. Breast Cancer Care is the only UK-wide charity dedicated to providing emotional and practical support for anyone affected. Our free helpline, information-packed website and online forums offer a friendly ear and expert information to those dealing with this life-threatening disease. Across the UK we offer a range of confidential, face-to-face services for people living with and beyond breast cancer. We campaign for better support and care and promote the importance of early detection, involving people with breast cancer in all that we do. Visit www.breastcancercare.org.uk or call our free helpline on 0808 800 6000.

Breast Cancer Care fed into a joint report by 14 cancer charities called Value-based pricing: Getting it right for people with cancer. We also surveyed our Breast Cancer Voices, a panel of people affected by breast cancer who've volunteered to share their experience and expertise to help inform our work, which fed into our report Defining value for breast cancer patients, submitted to the Department of Health (DH) and The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). Please contact Breast Cancer Care’s Press office for more information.