Nivolumab gets NICE recommendation for advanced skin cancer
Nivolumab gets NICE recommendation for advanced skin cancer
25 Jan 2016The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that nivolumab is made available on the NHS as a treatment option for patients with advanced (unresectable or metastatic) melanoma.
The independent Committee decided that a consultation on the draft recommendations was not needed for this appraisal, so the recommendations could go straight to a final appraisal determination. This happens when the Committee recommends a treatment in line with its license.
Professor Carole Longson, Health Technology Evaluation Centre Director said: “We are pleased to be able to recommend nivolumab for treating advanced skin cancer in final draft guidance.”
When will nivolumab be available as treatment?
The draft guidance is now with consultees, who have the opportunity to appeal against it. Until NICE issues final guidance, NHS bodies should make decisions locally on the funding of specific treatments.
Once NICE recommends a treatment 'as an option', the NHS must make sure it is available within 3 months (unless otherwise specified) of its date of publication.
Source: eCancer News