All articles tagged with #drug access
Merck has discontinued Recarbrio, a critical three-drug antibiotic combination, from the U.S. market. The drug, approved seven years ago, was designated by the FDA as a treatment of last resort to combat antibiotic resistance. Merck did not provide a reason for the withdrawal, raising concerns about corporate commitment to public health priorities.
The husband of Crawley woman Fionnuala Quinlan-Bennett, who died at 32 from breast cancer that spread to her bones and liver, is calling on NHS England and NICE to fund the drug Enhertu. Breast Cancer Now says making Enhertu available on the NHS could help about 1,000 English women. NICE had previously deemed the treatment not cost-effective, but discussions are resuming after a higher cost‑effectiveness threshold was introduced following a US-UK trade deal, with the aim of reaching a commercial agreement to enable access.
Patients with pancreatic cancer are pursuing Revolution Medicines' experimental drug daraxonrasib through expanded-access programs as the company nears potential approval. While there is optimism the treatment could extend lives, demand is surging and production may not keep up, raising concerns about who receives the drug first and how access will be allocated.
President Trump offered to help 'Dilbert' creator Scott Adams access a new prostate cancer drug after Adams faced scheduling issues with his healthcare provider, highlighting political involvement in healthcare access for serious conditions.
A Ballynahinch man with MND advocates for wider access to the groundbreaking drug Tofersen, which may slow disease progression, emphasizing the importance of timely treatment to improve quality of life and extend independence. The drug is currently not widely available in the UK, with efforts ongoing to increase access and funding.
The European Union has launched a major overhaul of pharmaceutical legislation aimed at making medicines "more available, accessible and affordable." The reforms aim to deliver more timely and equitable patient access to medicines across the 27-nation bloc. However, pharmaceutical firms and lobby groups say the move could hamper innovation and the overall availability of drugs. The proposal reduces the exclusivity period given to newly-developed drugs entering the market from 10 years to eight. Companies can extend it up to 10 years if they launch the drug in all 27 EU member states within two years.