Question reference: S5W-00206
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
- Date lodged: 25 May 2016
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Current status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 7 June 2016
Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason NHS Lothian changed its criteria for the prescription of the bowel cancer drug, Cetuximab, and what its position is on reports that patients who had embarked on chemotherapy would have expected to have been offered this treatment should the chemotherapy have proven unsuccessful.
Answer
<>The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) appraises all newly licensed medicines for clinical and cost effectiveness following submissions from pharmaceutical companies. SMC published advice for NHS boards across Scotland. Where the SMC accepts a medicine then there is a clear expectation that NHS boards will consider it and will make it or its equivalent available. All SMC advice can be found on their website at: www.scottishmedicines.org.uk