Perjeta, which can drastically extend the lives of patients, is available on the NHS in England but not Scotland
A cancer charity has called for a life-changing drug to be supplied to Scots as soon as possible.
Breast cancer drug Perjeta was rejected by health bosses for the third time in Scotland last summer, with no further discussions planned over its availability, despite now being available in England.
Breast Cancer Now has proposed immediate talks with the Scottish Government to ensure that women can access the treatment - which the charity has described as ground-breaking - on the NHS.
Perjeta – which can give women with incurable HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer nearly 16 months additional life compared to existing treatments – has previously been rejected by the Scottish Medicines Consortium as it was not considered to be cost effective for the NHS in Scotland.
However this week the drug was approved for routine use on the NHS in England.
“Every woman with incurable breast cancer deserves the best chance at life no matter where in the UK they live,” said Breast Cancer Now campaigns manager Lawrence Cowan.
“This life-changing drug represents a step change in treatment for women with this type of secondary breast cancer and it must be routinely available to NHS patients in Scotland too.
“Perjeta’s benefits are extraordinary, offering women with HER2 positive secondary breast cancer the chance of almost 16 precious extra months with their loved ones, compared to existing treatments.
“The SMC ruled, yet again, in June that Perjeta was not cost-effective for NHS use and it’s an injustice that Scottish patients cannot routinely access a drug that is the standard of care in England. We need urgent talks to break this deadlock and for Roche (the drug’s producers), the SMC and Scottish Government to work together to find a solution for Scottish patients.”
Alison Tait, aged 48 from Edinburgh is a single parent living with HER2 positive secondary breast cancer. She has been receiving Perjeta privately through her medical insurance and has been responding well to the drug.
She said: “Perjeta has been a lifeline for me. When I was first diagnosed with HER2 positive breast cancer, in August last year, I was told that the cancer had already spread to my liver. The future was frightening and uncertain.
“It was particularly difficult for my 17 year-old daughter, Ellen, to see me so sick.
“Then I started taking Perjeta with Herceptin and my quality of life improved dramatically. The drug is successfully keeping the cancer at bay and I have relatively no side effects. In fact, I’m now back at work full time and I’m going to the gym three times a week again. I feel fit and healthy – more like myself.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: "We understand breast cancer patients will be concerned about accessing the drug Perjeta.
"That is why NHS Scotland is meeting the company later this month to discuss the use of the drug in Scotland.
"We are determined to do more to improve access to treatments, including secondary cancer treatments - giving patients longer, better quality lives."
