Drug company offers to refund (NHS) if drug ineffective!!!

[Lani]

UK Body Backs "Money-Back" Deal on J&J Cancer Drug

LONDON (Reuters) Jun 04 - British healthcare cost-effectiveness watchdog NICE has reversed an earlier ruling refusing to endorse Johnson & Johnson's cancer drug Velcade (bortezomib) for use on the state health service after the maker offered a "money-back" deal.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) said on Monday it was now recommending the 25,000 pounds-a-year ($49,450) drug for the treatment of multiple myeloma.

Patients who respond well to treatment will be kept on the drug but those showing a minimal or no response will be taken off treatment and the drug's costs refunded by Janssen-Cilag, the name under which J&J pharmaceuticals operates outside the United States.

^^^
This is a drug I previously reported was synergistic with herceptin in some studies.

It is the precedent which is amazing.

What if Drs and hospitals refunded patients for whom a treatment was ineffective? Not sure it is a good thing, as innovation would be stifled and noone would get anything off-label.