Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has plans to fund the use of the medication Avastin on the NHS for the treatment of bowel cancer when alternate medications are not suitable due to gene mutations.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on whether new medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. NICE’s guidance is based on a thorough assessment of the available evidence and developed through extensive engagement with stakeholders. NICE was unable to recommend bevacizumab (Avastin) as an effective use of NHS resources for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, and it is not routinely funded on the NHS in England.
NICE has been asked to consider updating its appraisals of bevacizumab for colorectal cancer given that there are now multiple biosimilars available, some at significantly lower cost than the price at which bevacizumab was originally assessed. However, NICE must also take into consideration wider considerations regarding the use of bevacizumab in different scenarios that have evolved since the original appraisals. NICE is exploring options and further information on any proposed changes will be made available in due course.