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Article: Drugs U-turn brings kidney cancer boost
- Article from:
- The Scotsman
- Article date:
- March 25, 2009
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2009 The Scotsman. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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KIDNEY cancer patients across Scotland are set to get a costly
life-prolonging drug on the NHS after a U-turn in guidance for
doctors.
Campaigners were celebrating last night after drugs watchdogs
issued advice stating that the drug Sutent (sunitinib) should be
made available to patients who might benefit.
It was initially rejected for use in Scotland in 2007, leaving
many patients having to fund the treatment themselves at a cost of
thousands of pounds.
But yesterday, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS)
announced the drug would now be available through the health service
following an announcement by experts in England.
It is thought more than 100 patients a year in Scotland could ...