New Survey Shows Doctors And The General Public Believe NICE Are Restricting Treatment Options For Advanced Kidney Cancer Patients, UK

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Urology / Nephrology
Article Date: 12 Mar 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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The Pamela Northcott Fund (PNF) today announced the results of a new survey which shows that healthcare professionals and the general public are confused by the recent National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) decision to approve only one new treatment option for advanced kidney cancer patients, and feel the decision is unfair and restricts the treatment options available. The survey results are announced on the same day as NICE meet to decide their final decision on whether to fund a further three treatment options which could extend life for advanced kidney cancer patients in England. The PNF calls on NICE to increase support for patients with advanced kidney cancer, and enable more sufferers' access to the treatment options available.

The results of the new survey show that:

-- 86% of oncologists currently treating renal cell carcinoma (RCC [kidney cancer]) do not agree that NICE should only recommend one of the four new treatment options for RCC patients

- 14 out of these 21 oncologists (67%) surveyed believe that fewer than half of the RCC patients they see would be suitable to receive sunitinib as a treatment option

-- 81% of GPs are unclear on the NICE recommended treatment options for kidney cancer patients

-- 92% of the general public feel it is unfair that all treatment options currently licensed are available to patients in Wales but not in England

- 83% of the general public surveyed feel the NHS should provide patients with the latest treatments, regardless of cost

"NICE was set up almost a decade ago to assess what treatments should be available on the NHS in England and Wales and throughout this time it has been dogged by controversy. In particular, its recent decision to reject treatments used to prolong the lives of advanced kidney cancer patients, primarily based on cost, caused intense public fury," said Kate Spall, founder of the PNF.

"The PNF strongly encourage NICE to review all the evidence which indicates that all four new treatment options for advanced kidney cancer patients provide significant benefit, and calls on NICE to make all of these new treatment options available so that patients can get the best possible treatment at a very important time in their life, and that of their family."

NICE will meet today to make its final decision on the Appraisal Consultation Document (ACD) issued in August 2008, which recommended sorafenib, sunitinib, bevacizumab and temsirolimus should not be funded for use in the NHS. Last month (February 2009), NICE announced a part u-turn, recommending sunitinib for NHS funding as a first line treatment option for renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer).

Professor Jonathan Waxman, Professor - Clinical Division of Surgery, Oncology, Reproductive Biology and Anaesthetics, Imperial College, London commented "The core principle of the NHS is to be free at the point of use and the ideal that good healthcare should be available to all, regardless of wealth. The cost of running NICE as an institution far outweighs the cost of the new treatment options. Their ruling seems illogical and goes against the founding principles of the NHS."

Renal Cell Carcinoma NICE Evaluation Survey

The surveys were commissioned by the Pamela Northcott Fund and conducted by Opinion Health (GPs and general public), and medeConnect Healthcare Insight (oncologists). The surveys were conducted online between the 27th of February 2009 and 6th March 2009, with results received from 1000 members of the general public, 200 GPs and 21 oncologists from across the United Kingdom.

About The Pamela Northcott Fund

The Pamela Northcott Fund (PNF) is a patient led voluntary organisation with charitable aims, providing unique and unprecedented advocacy and support to cancer patients denied access to new drug therapies, yet to be approved by NICE. It offers a bespoke one to one service to patients and their carers, by taking on their individual appeal for treatment and representing them at their Primary Care Trust or Local Health Board Appeal panel. Kate Spall has helped 150 cancer patients access treatment previously denied by their local Trust. The PNF offer support and advice to patients throughout the appeal process and beyond - and have also initiated a peer support network to link up patients and families that are in the same situation. The PNF also works to highlight the campaign nationally, both through the media and parliament supported by expert clinicians.

About kidney cancer

More than 7,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with kidney cancer each year, of which 1,700 will have the advanced form of the disease. The average age of sufferers is 55.

Bayer Schering Pharma has funded Cohn & Wolfe's support for the survey research and communications activity. The PNF has not received a grant from BSP for this activity. The PNF retains complete control of the editorial content of the news releases and the views expressed within these materials are those of the PNF alone and not those of Cohn & Wolfe or any sponsor.

Elm House Saighton Chester CH3 6EN 01244 330037 m07851 374242
http://www.pamelanorthcottfund.org.uk
Clinical Advisor Professor Karol Sikora
Legal Advisor Peter Telford Qc
Patron Professor Hawkins Christie Hospital Manchester

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