NI Patients Offered Greater Access To Cancer Drugs

Cancer patients in Northern Ireland are to be offered greater access to "priority" drugs already accessible across the rest of the UK.

The Department of Health announced its plans following an extensive evaluation and public consultation of the Individual Funding Request (IFR) process.

The changes will increase access to new treatments, improve the overall consistency of the IFR process, include a greater level of clinical input, and increase emphasis on the clinical benefit to the patient.

As part of the new package of measures, decisions on IFRs will be taken by a clinically led Regional Scrutiny Committee.

Richard Pengelly, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health, said: "New drugs for cancer and other life threatening and debilitating illnesses come on to the market every year. These are often very expensive in terms of both cost of the drugs and the infrastructure (e.g. staff, and hospital, pharmacy and laboratory capacity) needed to deliver them. This presents an enormous challenge to the health service and we need to ensure that funding is focused on drugs which demonstrate that they are clinically effective and represent value for money.

"However, this must also be balanced against the need to ensure that patients here also have timely access to the most promising new treatments. I am aware that patients and clinicians here have been frustrated by the difference in access arrangements and I am pleased that we are now in a position to bring forward these changes which will increase access to new medicines for patients in Northern Ireland."

The changes will take effect during this financial year.

(CM/LM)