Written question asked by Jess Phillips (Labour) on Wednesday, 8 May 2024, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 13 May 2024 (named day). It was answered by Andrew Stephenson (Conservative) on Monday, 13 May 2024 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Cancer: Drugs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions she (a) has had and (b) plans to have with (i) charities and (ii) other organisations working to secure UK access to new drugs for (A) incurable, (B) relapsing and (C) remitting cancers such as myeloma.

Answer: Department ministers and officials regularly meet with a range of organisations, with an interest in securing patient access to new cancer medicines. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the body that develops authoritative, evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS, based on an assessment of their costs and benefits, including medicines for myeloma. The NICE aims to publish guidance on all new medicines close to the point of licensing wherever possible, and has recommended many cancer medicines for NHS use that are now available to NHS patients, including through the Cancer Drugs Fund.

Secondary information