Posted by Michael Wonder on 12 Jun 2017
NICE refuses to expand use of Roche’s IPF drug Esbriet
12 June 2017 - The NICE it remaining steadfast in its position that Roche’s Esbriet should only be funded by the NHS for patients with moderate forms of the fatal lung scarring disease idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Essentially, this means that patients will have to wait until their disease has worsened - and lung function has been lost - before getting routine NHS access to the drug.
“This is an illogical decision, to deny effective treatment in a condition that is irreversibly progressive and ultimately fatal,” said Dr Toby Maher, consultant physician at the Royal Brompton Hospital.
