Earlier this year, European authorities recommended approval of tofersen, a new drug that treats a rare genetic form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. That decision came nearly a year after American regulators granted the drug accelerated approval.
Patients with that rare form of ALS in England aren’t so lucky. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, or NICE, which evaluates whether treatments are “cost-effective” for the country’s National Health Service, announced a decision in March that would effectively render the drug unavailable to them.
It’s a story that British patients are far too familiar with. And it’s a cautionary tale for American patients, as the Biden administration is trying to import some of the ideas Britain uses to ration access to cutting-edge drugs.
Nothing contained in this blog is to be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of the Pacific Research Institute or as an attempt to thwart or aid the passage of any legislation.
Don’t Import British Methods For Rationing Access To Drugs
Sally C. Pipes
Earlier this year, European authorities recommended approval of tofersen, a new drug that treats a rare genetic form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. That decision came nearly a year after American regulators granted the drug accelerated approval.
Patients with that rare form of ALS in England aren’t so lucky. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, or NICE, which evaluates whether treatments are “cost-effective” for the country’s National Health Service, announced a decision in March that would effectively render the drug unavailable to them.
It’s a story that British patients are far too familiar with. And it’s a cautionary tale for American patients, as the Biden administration is trying to import some of the ideas Britain uses to ration access to cutting-edge drugs.
Click to read the full article in Forbes.
Nothing contained in this blog is to be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of the Pacific Research Institute or as an attempt to thwart or aid the passage of any legislation.