New hope for breast cancer patients as life-extending drug now on NHS in England
Summary
Patients in England with a specific type of incurable breast cancer can now get the drug Enhertu on the NHS, which can extend life by almost seven months on average. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) had previously rejected it for being too expensive, but now doctors can prescribe it, with Wales expected to follow soon.Key Facts
- Enhertu helps patients with HER2-low metastatic breast cancer live longer, sometimes up to three years more.
- The drug has been available on the NHS in Scotland since 2023 and in 26 other European countries.
- NICE said Enhertu was not good value for money in 2024, delaying access in England.
- About 1,000 women in England each year could benefit from this drug.
- Charities and patients campaigned for the drug to be approved, highlighting the cost of the delay.
- The drug companies Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca have not significantly lowered the price since the initial rejection.
- Enhertu’s approval is not yet confirmed for Northern Ireland.
- Patients like Kate Wills, who have advanced breast cancer, feel hopeful now that the medicine is available on the NHS.
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