Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure that NHS England acknowledges unmet need when re-evaluating treatments for pancreatic cancer on the Cancer Drugs Fund list.

The decision-making process adopted by the Cancer Drugs Fund panel is set out in the Standard Operating Procedures of the Fund, which are available on NHS England’s website at:

www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/pe/cdf/

This document sets out the factors the panel will take into account, including unmet need.

NHS England has assured the Department that no patient whose treatment is currently being funded through the Fund will have funding withdrawn, as long as it is clinically appropriate that they continue to receive that treatment. In addition, no drug will be removed from the Fund where it is the only therapy for that condition.