Live in the UK and have advanced prostate cancer? If you do then be prepared to have economics over-ride your legitimate health concerns.
The U.K.’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes no bones about what is more important, money or men’s health. NICE initially did not approve Zytiga, however when Johnson & Johnson offered to sell it at an additional discount they changed their tune and agreed that it was a good treatment for men who had castrate resistant prostate cancer.
Now, Zytiga’s rival, a much more costly drug, Xtandi has been the subject of a NICE change of heart. Initially they indicated that they would pay for Xtandi, but now they have reversed their decision.
Last Monday NICE issued a second draft guidance recommending Xtandi (enzalutamide) be covered in cases where hormone-relapsed metastatic prostate cancer has progressed after failing chemotherapy with docetaxel. However, the man must have been treated with Zytiga (abiraterone). This is a revision on prior guidance, which recommended that the National Health Servic