Post by Alsdad on Oct 21, 2015 20:43:12 GMT
Lukewarm news from NICE. Assuming that The UK is getting the new antivirals at the lowest 'Western World' tarriffs, the 190 million pounds allocated will treat about 8000 patients. The UK has a estimated 230000 (and rising) hepc carriers.
"NICE backs three hepatitis C meds, turns down Duchenne drug
Benefits of short treatments with high cure rates reinforces drugs value
NICE
The UK's cost-effectiveness watchdog has backed the use of hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapies from Gilead, Bristol-Myers Squibb and AbbVie in its latest crop of appraisals.
NICE issued positive final draft guidance for Gilead's Harvoni (sofosbuvir/ledipasvir), BMS' Daklinza (daclatasvir) and AbbVie's Viekirax (ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir), with or without Exviera (dasabuvir), making the new drugs available on the NHS for patients with HCV infection in England and Wales.
A consultation on the final draft version of the three guidelines will run until 29 October, after which they are likely to be approved, unless there is any appeal against NICE's decision. In the meantime prescribing of the drugs is left to the discretion of NHS bodies.
NHS England set up a £190m fund in June to help make the drugs available for very sick HCV patients with cirrhosis of the liver, while some patients have also been eligible for treatment since 2014 thanks to funding from the Early Access Scheme.
Despite earlier concerns about the high cost of the drugs and - after a bit of horse-trading on price by their developers - NICE has concluded that the benefits of short treatment durations and high cure rates compared to older drug regimens reinforce their value.
The drugs are costly, but clinical data have shown that they can cure between 95% and 99% of all HCV patients, which allows for significant healthcare savings in the longer term.
"This is wonderful news for many people living with the virus," said the Hepatitis C Trust in a statement.
"All those with genotypes 1 and 4, should now be able to access the new non-interferon based treatments with shorter treatment times and less severe side effects."
Some patients with HCV genotype 3 will be able to get treatment with Daklinza under NICE's access criteria but for now there are no treatments available in the US for genotype 2, said the Trust, although it noted there are trials ongoing involving therapies for this strain of the virus."
Frem PMLiVE News 19th October 2015
"NICE backs three hepatitis C meds, turns down Duchenne drug
Benefits of short treatments with high cure rates reinforces drugs value
NICE
The UK's cost-effectiveness watchdog has backed the use of hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapies from Gilead, Bristol-Myers Squibb and AbbVie in its latest crop of appraisals.
NICE issued positive final draft guidance for Gilead's Harvoni (sofosbuvir/ledipasvir), BMS' Daklinza (daclatasvir) and AbbVie's Viekirax (ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir), with or without Exviera (dasabuvir), making the new drugs available on the NHS for patients with HCV infection in England and Wales.
A consultation on the final draft version of the three guidelines will run until 29 October, after which they are likely to be approved, unless there is any appeal against NICE's decision. In the meantime prescribing of the drugs is left to the discretion of NHS bodies.
NHS England set up a £190m fund in June to help make the drugs available for very sick HCV patients with cirrhosis of the liver, while some patients have also been eligible for treatment since 2014 thanks to funding from the Early Access Scheme.
Despite earlier concerns about the high cost of the drugs and - after a bit of horse-trading on price by their developers - NICE has concluded that the benefits of short treatment durations and high cure rates compared to older drug regimens reinforce their value.
The drugs are costly, but clinical data have shown that they can cure between 95% and 99% of all HCV patients, which allows for significant healthcare savings in the longer term.
"This is wonderful news for many people living with the virus," said the Hepatitis C Trust in a statement.
"All those with genotypes 1 and 4, should now be able to access the new non-interferon based treatments with shorter treatment times and less severe side effects."
Some patients with HCV genotype 3 will be able to get treatment with Daklinza under NICE's access criteria but for now there are no treatments available in the US for genotype 2, said the Trust, although it noted there are trials ongoing involving therapies for this strain of the virus."
Frem PMLiVE News 19th October 2015
, this tx is still not accessible to people with advanced fibrosis at my hospital.