NICE rejects trastuzumab emtansine for use on NHS
BMJ 2015; 351 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h6837 (Published 16 December 2015) Cite this as: BMJ 2015;351:h6837- Zosia Kmietowicz
- 1The BMJ
The advanced breast cancer treatment trastuzumab emtansine (marketed by Roche as Kadcyla) will not be available through normal funding routes on the NHS in England, final guidance from the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has said.1
The drug has been licensed to treat HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer that has stopped responding to initial treatment. It is capable of extending the life of patients with advanced breast cancer by six months, but the cost of £90 000 (€130 000; $140 000) for an average course of treatment (14.5 months) gives trastuzumab a cost per quality adjusted life year (QALY) of £166 000, well above the normal threshold for drugs used at the end …
Log in
Log in using your username and password
Log in through your institution
Subscribe from £173 *
Subscribe and get access to all BMJ articles, and much more.
* For online subscription
Access this article for 1 day for:
£30 / $37 / €33 (excludes VAT)
You can download a PDF version for your personal record.