NICE Deal Will Allow Patients Access to Unproven Cancer Drug

NHS patients with head and neck cancer that has not responded to chemotherapy will have access to Bristol-Myers Squibb’s immunotherapy drug under a deal with NICE.

NICE originally ruled that there was insufficient evidence for the effectiveness of the drug, nivolumab. The agency invited Bristol-Myers Squibb to submit a Cancer Drugs Fund proposal to develop stronger evidence.

As a result of the deal, NHS patients will have access to the drug while it’s within the CDF. The agency will continue to collect data on patient use of the drug and from a clinical trial to develop more robust evidence.