Category: News; Radio 4
Date: 13.11.2005
Printable version
A survey for Â鶹Éç Radio 4's File on 4 programme, carried out by the survey group Medix, shows dissatisfaction among doctors over the time taken to approve new drugs for the NHS in England.
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The results favour a faster system of approval such as the one in Scotland.
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Of the GPs questioned, 59% say it takes too long for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, known as NICE, to report on the cost-effectiveness of new treatments.
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Only 4% say the time taken is too short.
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Concern is even more marked among a group of 62 cancer specialists contacted for the survey - with 51 of them saying the system is 'too slow', none that it's too fast.
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The great majority of GPs surveyed, 83%, express support for a more rapid decision process, like the one currently used by the NHS in Scotland which reports within three months of a drug being referred to it.
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Using independent analysis of drugs NICE currently averages 14 months.
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The Government recently announced a new fast-track through NICE for selected drugs, mainly in the treatment of cancer.
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But this will not be a panacea for patients generally, according to Cancer Research UK, since it leaves other drugs, for example for heart disease, stuck in the current time-consuming queue while NICE decides if they should be funded by the NHS.
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Gerry Northam's report on the way in which Britain approves new drugs can be heard on File on 4 at 8.00pm on Tuesday 15 November on Â鶹Éç Radio 4.
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Notes to Editors
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If any of the above is used please credit Â鶹Éç Radio 4's File on 4.
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