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 06 July 2008 15:01 BST

Arthritis treatment denied

Friday, 26 Oct 2007 08:04
Nice said the drug is not cost effective
Health campaigners have reacted with dismay to the news that the drug abatacept (Orencia) has not been advised for people with arthritis.

In its draft guidance on the drug, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) said it is not cost effective and should therefore not be made available for use on the NHS.

"Nice has recently recommended rituximab for rheumatoid arthritis," a spokesman said.

"The evidence shows that abatacept can cost about twice as much as rituximab but offers similar benefits. While recognising the severity of the disease, the committee concluded that based on this evidence, abatacept could not be considered a good use of NHS resources."

Final guidance to the NHS has not been issued yet by Nice and stakeholders still have the chance to try and appeal against the decision before the end of the year.

The charity Arthritis Care described the draft guidance as a "snub to thousands of people with rheumatoid arthritis [RA]".

"The fact that the new-generation drug rituximab (MabThera) was approved recently doesn't mean that all people failed by [other drugs] will be suitable for it," said Arthritis Care's spokeswoman Jane Spence.

"Abatacept was a bright, new hope for them, and to put it beyond their reach will seem catastrophic. While Nice is obliged to make its decisions on NHS cost-effectiveness, the narrow focus merely robs Peter to pay Paul.

"Instead of funding abatacept, now the taxpayer will foot the bill for expensive orthopaedic and palliative care for people who might do well on the drug, if allowed it."
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