England refuses to fund Velcade for MM patients

A drug that improves and prolongs the lives of thousands of cancer patients should not be available on the health service, a Government advisory group unexpectedly recommended. Patients described the decision yesterday as a death sentence.

The draft recommendation by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice) says that Velcade, the only licensed drug for people with multiple myeloma who have relapsed, should be given only to those taking part in clinical trials.

Velcade, also called bortezomib, is recommended for use in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and in countries across Europe and the rest of the world. It costs up to £18,000 per patient and extends life by 18 to 24 months on average.

The International Myeloma Foundation said that only about 4,000 English patients a year would be prescribed the treatment and many would not need the full course, reducing the cost.