‘How many people have died waiting for drug?’

10:12am Wednesday 26th November 2008

By Barry Nelson

THOUSANDS of lung cancer patients have been given hope after a medicines watchdog gave the go-ahead for a potential wonder drug.

But today’s decision by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) to allow the NHS to prescribe Tarceva came too late for drug campaigner Dave Hill, 46, from Darlington.

He helped persuade primary care trusts in the area to fund Tarceva ahead of the rest of England, but by the time he received the drug, he was too ill to benefit from it.

The announcement that about 2,500 lung cancer patients a year can expect to benefit from the potentially lifeextending drug comes today – the first anniversary of Mr Hill’s death.

Last night, Tina, his widow, said: “It is brilliant news that others can now get Tarceva because that is what Dave would have wanted.”

Mrs Hill is so proud of her late husband that his gravestone is inscribed with the words: “Your Legacy Will Live On.”

Close friend Geoff Marsh, the landlord of the Golden Cock pub, in Darlington, said: “I am gutted that it is too late for Dave, but I am really pleased that it is going to help someone else.”

Mr Marsh organised a sponsored coast-to-coast cycle ride to try to raise the £20,000 needed to pay for Mr Hill’s treatment.

Tarceva, which is widely used in Europe and the US, was licensed for use in the UK as early as September 2005 and submitted to Nice by manufacturer Roche three years ago.

Today, Nice recommended that Tarceva, also known as erlotinib, should be available for use by patients who have non small cell lung cancer and have tried at least one chemotherapy treatment that has failed.

The decision follows the agreement by Roche to discount the price of Tarceva to about £6,700 for a 125-day treatment, so it costs no more than the standard chemotherapy treatment.

Early last year, Mr Hill was told by his cancer specialist in Newcastle that he would probably benefit from Tarceva, but it was not available on the NHS. While his consultant prepared an appeal to Mr Hill’s local primary care trust, the father-of-four started a fundraising campaign to pay for the drug.

With the face of daughter, Chantelle, then aged six, on a campaign van, above the slogan Help Me To Save My Daddy, Mr Hill raised enough money to start treatment privately.

In November last year, NHS officials in the North-East agreed that all eligible patients should receive Tarceva.

Mr Hill died only six days after he learnt that his case has helped persuade health bosses to fund the drug.

Deanne Jenkyns, from South Tyneside, whose husband, Jimmy, has been leading a near-normal life after he won his fight to get Tarceva on the NHS 19 months ago, said: “I just wonder how many people have died waiting for this drug.”

Professor Peter Littlejohns, the clinical director for Nice, who recently told The Northern Echo that his organisation was reviewing the way in which the cost-effectiveness of cancer drugs was assessed, said: “Because erlotinib is given in tablet form, patients spend less time in hospital receiving treatment.

Doctors and managers involved in cancer care in the North-East welcomed Nice’s decision. Steve Williamson, consultant pharmacist in cancer services, said: “We are delighted.”