The Isle of Wight is one of four health trusts that are set to face a legal challenge by pharmaceutical company Novartis.
The company is challenging the use of a cheaper alternative, Avastin, to its drug Lucentis for age-related macular degeneration (sight loss).
We got in touch with the IW NHS earlier this morning and have received the following response from the SHIP (Southampton, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth) PCT.
In September 2011, the SHIP PCT Cluster Board agreed that NHS ophthalmologists would be able to prescribe Avastin for patients suffering from the eye disease wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and that this would be funded by the NHS.
Avastin is internationally recognised as an effective treatment for AMD and, for example, over 50% of AMD patients in the United States are treated with Avastin. This was an option for clinicians in addition to the option of prescribing a drug marketed by Novartis, called Lucentis. The PCTs have always made it clear that if NHS ophthalmologists prescribed Lucentis in clinically appropriate cases this drug would be funded by the NHS.
PCT Cluster Board regrets legal action
Novartis has commenced Judicial Review proceedings to seek to prevent the SHIP PCT Cluster Board from being able to fund Avastin as well as Lucentis. The PCT Cluster Board regrets that Novartis is taking this legal action. We have taken legal advice and consider that the policy to allow clinicians the choice between Avastin and Lucentis for the NHS AMD patients is a lawful policy.Under this policy the choice of drug is a matter for individual patients and their NHS clinicians. The PCTs have reached the view that the published evidence suggests that Avastin is as clinically effective as Lucentis and is far more cost effective.
Lawful approach
If clinicians choose to prescribe Avastin for wet AMD patients the cost savings will result in the PCTs being able to fund other eye-related treatments for NHS patients.The PCTs consider that, in a time of substantial financial pressure on the NHS, this is a responsible as well as lawful approach.
The PCT say that they are meeting with their legal teams this afternoon and will be able to provide an update later in the week.
Image: Rovert D Bruce under CC BY 2.0
