Drug Policy Forum
The Network Drug Policy Forum is a sub-group of the ASWCS Commissioning Group and was set up to provide equitable advice on the management of new drugs which have not been subject to NICE guidance.
It works with Acute Trusts and PCTs to ensure a consistent approach to the prescribing, funding and availability of cancer and supportive care drugs across the Network. The Drug Policy Forum reviews national NICE guidance in the context of local priorities to ensure the Network-wide availability of cancer drugs to all appropriate patients; and provides recommendations on the availability of high-cost/low-use cancer drugs. The Drug Policy Forum also gives rapid responses and recommendations about exceptional individual cases.
Contact details
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Chair |
Ardiana Gjini |
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ASWCS Lead Manager |
Tariq White |
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User Representative |
Valerie Weston |
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ASWCS admin support |
Lizzy Audsley |
Meetings
Please note that ASWCS are no longer uploading meeting notes to this website. If you would like to receive notes from this meeting, then please contact the group administrator with your request.
Meetings are not open to the public but if you would like to become a member of the group, please contact the group administrator and your application will be considered.
Key documents
- ASWCS Membership List
- ToR Network Drug Policy Forum
- Priority setting funding requests
- Priority setting managing new treatments
- Position Statement on Risk Sharing Programmes
- Co-payment paper
Drug |
Indication |
DPF Discussed Date |
DPF Outcome |
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ICetuximab (Erbitux) |
Colorectal cancer |
17/09/2008 |
The DPF advises that the rebate scheme or "access programme" should be avoided. The administrative cost to the NHS outweighs any price reduction.
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Rituximab
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First line for chronic lym phocytic leukaemia |
17/07/2009 |
The DPF recommends following the approved NICE guidance |
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90Y Ibritumomab Tiuxetan (Zevalin) |
adult rituximab relapsed or refractory CD20+ follicular B cell non Hodgkins lymphoma |
12/07/2007 |
The DPF does not recommend the routine use of Zevalin (more info)
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Alemtuzumab (Mabcampath) |
relapsed refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
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17/01/2007 and 18/04/2007 |
The DPF recommended the possibility of funding through Local Delivery Plans. As a result this treatment is routinely commissioned as of April 08. (More Info)
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(Velcade)
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relapsed refractory multiple myeloma
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19/10/2006 and 12/07/2007 18/06/2008
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The DPF recommends following the approved NICE guidance. (More info)
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Dasatinib (Sprycel)
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relapsed/ refractory chronic myeloid leukaemia |
18/04/2007 |
The DPF has recommended that funding be considered through annual planning rounds. NICE Guidance is also in progress, and likely to be issued April 2010.
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(Taxotere)
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advanced gastric cancer
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19/10/2006
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The DPF does not advise routine use. All eligible patients should be offered entry to the COUGAR trial. (More info)
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Docetaxel (Taxotere) |
in combination with cisplatin and 5-FU for squamous cell cancer of head and neck
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5/12/2007 |
The DPF supports limited use of this drug within BHOC protocols as recommended by the Head and Neck cancer Site Specialist Group. |
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(Tarceva)
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non small cell lung cancer
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19/10/2006 and 5/2007 and 17/09/2008
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The Drug Policy Forum recommends following the approved NICE Guidance.
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Gemtuzumab ozogamicin (Myolotarg) |
acute myeloid leukaemia |
17/07/2009 |
This drug is not yet licensed in the UK and should therefore only be used in the context of recognised clinical trials. If and when a UK license is granted the DPF recommends its use be managed within haematology services, with second opinions sought from centres with appropriate expertise. (More info) |
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Ixabepilone |
locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer |
19/09/2007 |
This drug is not yet licensed and there is limited evidence on cost effectiveness. The DPF recommends not to use ahead of licensing and NICE technology appraisal. (More info) |
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Lapatinib (Tykerb) |
advanced metastatic breast cancer |
18/04 and 5/12/2007 17/09/2008
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The DPF concludes that at present time there is insufficient evidence to make a judgement on safety, efficacy and value for money of Lapatinib. The DPF recommends not to use ahead of licensing and NICE technology appraisal. (More info) |
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Lenalidomide (Revlimid) |
relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma |
18/04/2007 and 5/03/2008 |
The DPF concludes that the very high cost makes it difficult to recommend the routine commissioning of this drug. (More info)
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Lenalidomide (Revlimid)
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5q minus Myelodysplasia
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3/12/2008 |
This drug is not yet licensed for this indication and the costs and benefits are not yet clear. The DPF recommends no routine commissioning and plans to revisit the evidence in September 2009.
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Sunitinib (Sutent) and Sorafenib (Nexavar)
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advanced renal cell cancer
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19/10/2006, 18/04/2007 and 12/07/2007 3/12/2008 |
The DPF recommends following the approved NICE Guidance
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Nelarabine (Atriance) |
-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma T |
19/09/2007 |
TGiven the uncertain cost-effectiveness the DPF does not recommend routine use. Patients should be offered access to recognised clinical trials. (More info) |
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Nilotinib (Tasigna) |
relapsed/refractory chronic myeloid leukemia |
5/09/2008 |
The DPF has recommended that funding be considered through annual planning rounds. NICE Guidance is also in progress, and likely to be issued April 2010. |
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Paclitaxel polyglumex (Xyotax) |
non small cell lung cancer |
12/07/2007 |
This drug is not yet licensed and there is limited evidence on cost effectiveness. It is not recommended for routine use. The DPF recommends that patients with non-small cell lung cancer that meet the eligibility criteria should be entered into appropriate clinical trials. (More info |
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Pemetrexed (Alimta)
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malignant pleural mesothelioma
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17/01/2007 |
The DPF recommends following the approved NICE Guidance. (More info)
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(Mabthera)
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in conjunction with chemotherapy for first line treatment in follicular (NHL) lymphoma
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19/10/2006
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The DPF recommends following the approved NICE guidance. (More info)
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Sorafenib (Nexavar) |
primary hepatocellular cancer |
5/12/2007 |
The DPF recommends that on the basis of current evidence this does not represent best value use of healthcare resources. On current evidence, it does not recommend that this drug is commissioned routinely. (More info)
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Sunitinib (Sutent)
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gastrointestinal stromal tumours |
18/04/2007 |
The DPF recommends that on the basis of current evidence this does not represent best value use of healthcare resources. On current evidence, it does not recommend that this drug is commissioned routinely. (More info)
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Temozolomide (Temodal)
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newly diagnosed high grade glioblastoma
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17/01/2007
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The DPF recommends following the approved NICE Guidance. (More info)
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Temsirolimus (Torisel) |
advanced renal cell cancer
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5/03/2008 |
The DPF recommends that on the basis of current evidence this treatment offers no advantage compared with multikinase inhibitors, for which funding is sought through the Local Delivery Plans. NICE appraisal is due January 2009. |
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Thyrotropin Alfa (Thyrogen)
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well differentiated thyroid cancer to assist diagnosis of recurrent tumour
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19/10/2006, 17/01/2006 and 18/04/2007
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The DPF recommended the possibility of funding through Local Delivery Plans. As a result this treatment is routinely commissioned as of April 08. (More info)
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(Herceptin)
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localised Her2 positive breast cancer
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19/10/2006
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The DPF confirmed the interpretation of NICE Guidance as requiring prospective implementation for patients within six months of completion of chemotherapy, clinicians having discretion in individual cases provided that this can be managed within the financial allocation for NICE implementation. (More info)
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