Cost regulators for the National Health Service in Scotland have closed the door to Roche’s Avastin for ovarian cancer, but six new medicines were waved through.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium said it couldn’t accept Avastin’s use in the ovarian cancer setting because it was not satisfied about cost-effectiveness, despite the drug having been considered under the PACE (Patient and Clinical Engagement) option which gives patients and clinicians a much stronger voice in the decision-making process for end-of-life or rare disease treatments.

On the plus side for patients, the SMC approved funding for new therapies addressing multiple sclerosis, chronic pulmonary disorder (COPD), the skin conditions rosacea and urticaria, colorectal cancer and cystic fibrosis.

First up, Merck Serono’s Erbitux (cetuximab) was accepted for restricted use as a first-line therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer, the third most common cancer in Scotland, with numbers increasing by around 5% in the last 10 years. 

The recommendation, which took into account views from a PACE meeting, is contingent upon the continued provision of Patient Access Scheme (PAS) that improves the drug’s the cost-effectiveness.

For more details, go to: http://www.pharmatimes.com/Article/15-01-12/SMC_rejects_Roche_s_Avastin_for_ovarian_cancer_but_six_new_drugs_are_in.aspx