Novartis tries to make UK hospitals use $1000 drug
Novartis said it was concerned patients and clinicians were being pushed to use an unlicensed medicine in order to cut costs. Britain’s coalition government has mandated that its National Health Service trim $20 billion ($31 billion) from its budget by 2015 as part of a national austerity drive.
“It is unacceptable to put the safety of patients at risk through the widespread use of an unlicensed treatment when a licensed medicine is available,” the pharmaceutical company said. Novartis noted there was “emerging evidence” of safety concerns for using Avastin to treat eye problems.
How am I given Avastin?
Avastin is given as an infusion. That means you receive Avastin through a small needle in your vein or through a port.
Because Avastin is given as an infusion, infusion reactions may occur. Avastin infusions will be stopped by your doctor or nurse if infusion reactions are severe.
Your doctor or nurse will monitor you for signs of an infusion reaction, which may include:
- High blood pressure or severe high blood pressure that may lead to stroke
- Difficulty breathing
- Decreased oxygen in red blood cells
- A serious allergic reaction
- Chest pain
- Headache
- Tremors
- Excessive sweating
Patient groups called for an independent analysis to determine which drug should be used. “If Avastin is not as safe as Lucentis, no one should be using it,” said Helen Jackman, chief executive of the Macular Disease Society. “If it is as good, perhaps everyone should be using it.”
LUCENTIS should not be used in patients who have an infection in or around the eye or are allergic to LUCENTIS or any of its ingredients.
Remember, if your vision stays the same or improves, it may mean that you can keep doing many of the simple things that are most important to you.
Jackman said government ministers should hold an appraisal of whether Avastin was safe to use in eye diseases. Eye doctors are divided over whether Avastin is as safe and effective as Lucentis, she said.
Other critics slammed Novartis for their decision to go to the courts.
“Companies like Novartis should not be in the position to block moves to more cost-effective treatments in order to maximize their profits,” said John Harris, of the Institute for Science Ethics and Innovation at the University of Manchester, in a statement. He said it was legitimate for health providers to use treatments that were much cheaper than ones that were already licensed.
###
The Associated Press