Written question asked by Adrian Sanders (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 18 October 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 20 October 2006. It was answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Labour) on Tuesday, 31 October 2006 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Mesothelioma

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the cost of providing (a) herceptin for breast cancer and (b) alimta for mesothelioma for each patient with such diseases in the South West of England, broken down by primary care trust area.

Answer: Information about the cost of providing herceptin for breast cancer and alimta for mesothelioma to individual patients is not centrally collected.However, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has assessed that the cost of providing herceptin for early breast cancer is approximately £24,500 per patient and the cost of providing alimta for mesothelioma is approximately £8,000 per patient. Costs may vary in different settings because of negotiated procurement discounts.

Secondary information