Avastin no longer allowed in UK as tx for colon cancer patients

dianetavegia
dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Story Link HERE


Another cancer drug too dear for Britain: Bowel cancer victims denied life-prolonging drug that's free in Europe
By Jenny Hope
Last updated at 12:02 AM on 24th November 2009



Bowel cancer sufferers are to be denied a life-prolonging drug on the NHS which is available to patients across Europe and beyond.

Trials show Avastin can extend life by almost two years.

But the Government's rationing body, Nice, says it is not cost-effective.
In what has been dubbed 'passport prescribing', Britain does not allow routine use of the drug while patients in virtually all other EU countries get the drug paid for.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not cost effective? How horrible!

Comments

  • thready
    thready Member Posts: 474
    #2
    The same thing is coming here
    The 60 minute show that Phil has posted about said that Avastin should not be used for advanced breast cancer patients because it only prolonged life by a couple of months. The show also talked about what was happening around the world so I think we are headed in the same direction.



    Jan
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    #3
    thready said:

    The same thing is coming here
    The 60 minute show that Phil has posted about said that Avastin should not be used for advanced breast cancer patients because it only prolonged life by a couple of months. The show also talked about what was happening around the world so I think we are headed in the same direction.



    Jan

    WoW...
    ...This really scares me now, this is what I'll be on as maintenance, and if it's taken away, then there may be no hope :(

    Hugsss!
    ~Donna
  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    #4
    Not to worry, yet, Donna!!
    I cannot believe this would ever come to pass in the US as long as we have private health care/ insurance.
  • Trapbear
    Trapbear Member Posts: 108 Member
    #5
    dianetavegia said:

    Not to worry, yet, Donna!!
    I cannot believe this would ever come to pass in the US as long as we have private health care/ insurance.

    Yes, but Medicare is
    Yes, but Medicare is government run health care and it pays for Avastin. Most of the EU also has government controlled healthcare and they cover Avastin as well. The UK is a bit different with NICE determining cost effectiveness of various treatments.
  • rthornton
    rthornton Member Posts: 346 Member
    #6
    Trapbear said:

    Yes, but Medicare is
    Yes, but Medicare is government run health care and it pays for Avastin. Most of the EU also has government controlled healthcare and they cover Avastin as well. The UK is a bit different with NICE determining cost effectiveness of various treatments.

    Medicare
    I have Medicare coverage, which has paid for Avastin, Xeloda, Irinotecan, and now pays for Erbitux. It was the private insurance that I had problems with, when first diagnosed.
  • sfmarie
    sfmarie Member Posts: 602
    #7
    Scary
    And on that note, Blue Cross does not approve SIR Spheres for advanced colorectal cancer with liver mets. It is deemed "experimental" though it also buys the patient time! Something has to change!
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    #8
    sfmarie said:

    Scary
    And on that note, Blue Cross does not approve SIR Spheres for advanced colorectal cancer with liver mets. It is deemed "experimental" though it also buys the patient time! Something has to change!

    I'll
    get nervous if my insurance turns around and stops paying for it. I mean, this is a good drug, and some people have lived longer then 2 years on it, my onc said she has had many people on this for years and years, I can't believe they would ban this, it at least keeps people around to try other drugs that are on trial even, or until something better comes out. This is sad.

    Hugsss!
    ~Donna
  • KATE58
    KATE58 Member Posts: 299
    #9
    AVASTIN HELPED ME
    I AM ON MEDICARE (a government insurance)AND IT PAYS FOR ALL THE DRUGS.I HAVE NEVER BEEN
    TURNED DOWN FOR ANY TREATMENT.MY PRIVATE INS WAS ALWAYS WANTING ME TO USE A CHEAPER DRUG EVEN IF IT DID NOT WORK AS WELL.AFTER 5 MONTHS THEY EVEN SENT ME A LETTER SAYING I HAD 'EXCEEDED MY LIFETIME LIMIT' AND THEY WOULD NO LONGER INSURE ME.

    AVASTIN WAS APPROVED FOR USE IN THE UK ABOUT A YEAR BEFORE IT WAS APPROVED HERE.
    I THINK THE OPERATIVE WORDS WERE "ROUTINE USE" SO MAYBE IT WAS JUST BEING PRESCRIBED FOR EVERYONE AS A MATTER OF COURSE. IN THIS COUNTRY IT IS ONLY APPROVED FOR "ADVANCED" CASES OF COLORECTAL AND LUNG CANCER

    BESIDES WE DO NOT DO THINGS THE WAY ENGLAND DOES-NEITHER DOES THE REST OF EUROPE.ENGLAND WON'T EVEN USE THE EURO BECAUSE THEY CAN'T PUT THE QUEENS PICTURE ON IT.

    I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GREAT THANKSGIVING
    GOD BLESS
    KATE
  • KATE58
    KATE58 Member Posts: 299
    #10
    thready said:

    The same thing is coming here
    The 60 minute show that Phil has posted about said that Avastin should not be used for advanced breast cancer patients because it only prolonged life by a couple of months. The show also talked about what was happening around the world so I think we are headed in the same direction.



    Jan

    AVASTIN SHOULD NOT BE USED
    AVASTIN SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR ADVANCED BREAST CANCER BECAUSE IT IS NOT APPROVED FOR THAT
    KIND OF CANCER.EVERY TYPE OF CANCER IS BIOLOGICALLY DIFFERENT AND THE SAME DRUGS CANNOT BE USED FOR ALL CANCER -THEY JUST DON'T WORK ON EVERY KIND .JUST LIKE SOME ANTIBIOTICS ONLY WORK ON SOME BACTERIA.THE MAIN BREAST CANCER DRUG IS TOMAXAFIN-WHICH WOULD NEVER BE USED FOR COLON CANCER-IT WON'T HAVE ANY EFFECT ON IT.
  • Mike49
    Mike49 Member Posts: 261
    #11
    Our Government Healthcare paid for mine
    I received Avastin and now cetuximab (Erbitux)from my government health care and still do get it, it is on the VA formulary. The only time I have trouble is when I had to negotiate with Blue Cross, Those needle heads couldn't keep it straight that it was cancer I was diagnosed with. I have had a few glitches with the VA but I get my care on time, well coordinated and what my private insurance does not pay they write off.

    Government health care covers millions of seniors, our armed forces, six million veterans and about a million plus native Americans. It's not something that scares me.

    The British have wild debates about their health system and I am sure this will be debated much more before the final dust settles. Of course if you break a leg in the UK you will have coverage, 47 million Americans would have a more difficult time. I am glad that I am getting my care here in the states.
  • John23
    John23 Member Posts: 2,122 Member
    #12
    KATE58 said:

    AVASTIN HELPED ME
    I AM ON MEDICARE (a government insurance)AND IT PAYS FOR ALL THE DRUGS.I HAVE NEVER BEEN
    TURNED DOWN FOR ANY TREATMENT.MY PRIVATE INS WAS ALWAYS WANTING ME TO USE A CHEAPER DRUG EVEN IF IT DID NOT WORK AS WELL.AFTER 5 MONTHS THEY EVEN SENT ME A LETTER SAYING I HAD 'EXCEEDED MY LIFETIME LIMIT' AND THEY WOULD NO LONGER INSURE ME.

    AVASTIN WAS APPROVED FOR USE IN THE UK ABOUT A YEAR BEFORE IT WAS APPROVED HERE.
    I THINK THE OPERATIVE WORDS WERE "ROUTINE USE" SO MAYBE IT WAS JUST BEING PRESCRIBED FOR EVERYONE AS A MATTER OF COURSE. IN THIS COUNTRY IT IS ONLY APPROVED FOR "ADVANCED" CASES OF COLORECTAL AND LUNG CANCER

    BESIDES WE DO NOT DO THINGS THE WAY ENGLAND DOES-NEITHER DOES THE REST OF EUROPE.ENGLAND WON'T EVEN USE THE EURO BECAUSE THEY CAN'T PUT THE QUEENS PICTURE ON IT.

    I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GREAT THANKSGIVING
    GOD BLESS
    KATE

    Thank you for trying!
    Thank you Kate, for trying to get the truth out.

    The truth seems so difficult and evasive lately, as one political party
    attempts to regain control of the political arena.

    It's truly unfortunate that each day brings more ridiculous nuances,
    half-truths, and total lies to the front pages regarding health care.

    I seriously doubt anyone here can remember being so bombarded with
    "bad news" about health concerns during any other period of time.

    Thank you again, for trying to set the record straight.


    (Looking back:
    http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9507E3DD143BF937A35751C1A9619C8B63)
  • KATE58
    KATE58 Member Posts: 299
    #13
    John23 said:

    Thank you for trying!
    Thank you Kate, for trying to get the truth out.

    The truth seems so difficult and evasive lately, as one political party
    attempts to regain control of the political arena.

    It's truly unfortunate that each day brings more ridiculous nuances,
    half-truths, and total lies to the front pages regarding health care.

    I seriously doubt anyone here can remember being so bombarded with
    "bad news" about health concerns during any other period of time.

    Thank you again, for trying to set the record straight.


    (Looking back:
    http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9507E3DD143BF937A35751C1A9619C8B63)

    All the same things were
    All the same things were said during the 60's when they were trying to get medicare and medicaid passed.They said it would bankrupt the country, turn us into a socialist country
    and death panels would try to kill off grandma.EVERYBODY lies and embelishes and twists the truth.somethings are so rediculous, common sense should tell us its bunk.other things you have to research or wait and see.It's frustrating.
    anyhooo,HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY!
    GOD BLESS
    KATE

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