AVSGF-UK: Alimta Campaign

Alimta Campaign

Alimta Appeal - NICE rejects appeal and approves Alimta

On the 23rd January NICE announced that it has rejected the appeals against its decision last year to approve Alimta for the treatment of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma patients should now press their PCTs for early implementation of the NICE decision to allow funding of Alimta by the NHS.

To view as a web page: click here press release.

To view and print as a pdf version: click here press release.

If your Primary Care Trust does not fund ALIMTA (PEMETREXED) please click below for a Campaign Pack which explains how best to request treatment and how to appeal a decision to refuse funding.
Click here . . . ALIMTA Campaign Pack

Although Alimta does not help every mesothelioma sufferer who receives treatment, and although it is not a cure for mesothelioma, it can extend life and alleviate symptoms for many patients.

Notwithstanding the appeal, mesothelioma patients should still contact their Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) if they have been refused Alimta and ask that they make this treatment available immediately.

The Final Appraisal has now been ratified.The Department of Health (DoH) guidance says that PCTs should look to provide treatment as soon as a NICE appraisal recommends treatment, and states in their "Funding Direction" that, "Each PCT should use its best endeavours to ensure that any new treatments recommended by NICE are available as soon as possible after NICE issues Technology Appraisal Guidance" (The Department of Health, Good Practice Guidance on Managing the introduction of New Health Technology Intervention and Links to NICE Technology Appraisal Guidance, Gateway Reference 7251, 14^th December 2006).

Experience has shown that where mesothelioma patients, and their family and friends, mount a campaign through the Press to expose the `post code lottery´ which currently prevails in the UK, they are often successful in changing PCT policy on funding treatment for mesothelioma. We can put you in touch with mesothelioma patients who have won their right to treatment and provide information to help with a campaign.