UK's NICE decides to re-appraise Celgene's MDS drug Vidaza; move welcomed by patients' group

The UK National Health Service watchdog the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) says that it will re-appraise the use of USA-based Celgene's Vidaza (azacitidine) in patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) - a group of debilitating bone marrow diseases.

The MDS UK Patient Support Group lodged an appeal against the negative recommendation issued earlier this year by the NICE) for the use of Vidaza (azacitidine) in patients with higher-risk MDS (The Pharma Letters March 4 and 23), and also sent a petition to the UK's new Prime Minister David Cameron for access to the drug under the NHS (TPL May 17). The Leukaemia Society and the Rarer Cancers Forum are also appealing the NICE guidance

Yesteday's decision by a NICE Appeal Panel requests that the organisation's Appraisal Committee to reconsider the guidance it originally issued on azacitidine, this time taking account of low-dose chemotherapy as well as best supportive care as comparisons for cost-effectiveness. The Appeal Panel also requests that the Committee examine the data on quality of life provided by the MDS UK Patient Support Group.