Aug 11 - GHA Approves Breast Cancer Drug that NHS Believes to be Too Expensive
In a statement issued earlier today, the GHA has announced that it will be funding the prescription drug Kadcyla, which can extend patients suffering with breast cancer's lives by up to 6 months. Dr John Cortes, Minister for Health said "The GHA strives as far as possible to exceed UK guidelines as we aim to achieve ever better standards and services."
The NHS has adhered to the recommendation of NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) and decided not to fund the drug due to it's "High Cost".
The NICE guidelines are normally implemented here in Gibralar, but on this occasion, the Government of Gibraltar has decided to fund the use of the dug and the GHA will "allow its prescrioption based, not on cost, but on clinical need".
Dr John Cortes proudly stated that "Already some of our screening programmes are among the best in the world. In the case of this new drug, provided it is clinically indicated, it will be the patient's need, not the cost, that will prevail."
The GHA will be informing its staff and UK centres to which it refers patients to the decision.
