Pfizer gifts the NHS with breast cancer drug

Pfizer has announced it will provide its breast cancer drug, palbociclib — which has been provisionally rejected by NICE for routine use as a result of cost — to the NHS for free for up to five months until a final decision by NICE is made.

It is estimated that around 6,000 patients across the UK would be eligible for this therapy each year. In comparison with other treatments it has been demonstrated to prolong the patient’s life by 10 months.

“This is an unexpected lifeline for thousands of women living with this type of breast cancer,” said Fiona Hazell, director of policy and engagement at the charity Breast Cancer Now. “Palbociclib can offer a large proportion of patients with incurable metastatic breast cancer significant extra time before their disease progresses — time that can be truly invaluable to them and their loved ones.”

Furthermore, Pfizer has clarified that for those patients receiving the treatment for free during this interim period, if it is rejected for NHS use, they will not be taken off it and will not have to start paying.