On 15th June 2015, Cancer52 responded to the proposed changes to the Standard Operating Procedures: Cancer Drugs Fund 2015-16.
In summary:
- we are concerned that the new text in the SOP appears to dilute the potential influence of clinicians outside of the National CDF (NCDF) panel in decision making.
- we are concerned that there will be greater uncertainty for patients as a result of drugs being on the approved list at one time, then off the list at another.
- we believe that the new SOP should now be worked up alongside the Accelerated Access Review (AAR)
- we believe that actual use of drugs rather than the proposed 'potential use' should be the focus for decision making for NHS England (NHSE)
- we welcome the proposals for a single process for challenging decisions of the NCDF panel and that decisions can now also be challenged by patient groups
Read the one pager summary of our submission as well as the full response.