CROATIA FUNDS CANCER DRUG "BANNED" BY NHS - KEETCH

3.27.06pm GMT Thu 3rd Aug 2006

Croatia has become the latest country to fund life-saving cancer drug Velcade.

The decision by the country's equivalent to the NHS (Croatian Institute for Health Insurance) follows the announcement last week by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) which recommended limiting access to the treatment for the blood cancer multiple myeloma to those taking part in clinical trials.

Velcade is currently available to patients in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Paul Keetch, MP for Hereford is questioning why English patients are being left behind in terms of access.

"This is yet another sign that our National Health Service is out of step with the rest of the world when it comes to cancer care," said Mr Keetch.

"Ten years ago, Croatia was in the depths of a devastating conflict. Yet the Croatian Institute for Health Insurance- an equivalent to our NHS- has just announced it will fund essential cancer drugs including Velcade. The question, is why isn't our well established health service doing the same?"

"Patients in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and now Croatia are being given access to a drug which can improve and prolong their lives. Why can't English patients have the same chance?

Myeloma accounts for 2% of all cancer cases , (15,000-20,000 people in the UK). Every year around 4,000 patients are diagnosed with myeloma of which 3,000 die from the disease - giving it one of the highest death rates of all cancers.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has recently (24th July) published initial recommendations limiting the use of Velcade to clinical trials, meaning thousands of patients will be left without access and without hope.