UK insurer covers trastuzumab for early bc

UK insurer covers trastuzumab for early breast cancer





Posted: July 20, 2005


LONDON (Agence de Presse Medicale for Reuters Health) - The private British health insurer, BUPA, is to cover the use of Roche's Herceptin (trastuzumab) for women with early-stage breast cancer one year before the drug gains its expected approval as an adjuvant, the group said on Wednesday.


The announcement follows results from three major trials showing that, when used in an adjuvant setting for HER2 positive breast cancer, the treatment reduces the risk of the cancer recurring by up to 52%.

"Historically we have funded Herceptin as a treatment for late stage breast cancer in line with its current licence," Natalie-Jane Macdonald, medical director at BUPA Insurance, said in a statement.

"However, given the impressive results of recent trials, we have decided to fund it for the treatment of early stage breast cancer for HER2 positive patients because we believe it will directly benefit women with this diagnosis, and their families."

BUPA, which competes with the state-funded National Health Service, noted that the NHS only recommends funding trastuzumab for metastatic ER2 positive breast cancer.

Set up in 1947, the insurer claims to have 7.8 million customers in 180 countries. The policy on trastuzumab will apply initially only to the UK.




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Hi Rhonda,

You beat me to it!

BUPA actually aren't the first ones to agree to pay. In late June, Norwich Union, Taunton-based Western Provident Association, and Standard Life Healthcare reportedly had already agreed to pay for newly diagnosed women. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/4620521.stm Still, BUPA is a big player and its action will encourage other companies to pay.

On an equally important note, the government has agreed to prioritize the licensing of herceptin for early breast cancer, so that it should happen within two or three months of Roche's application, which is expected early next year. The Secretary for Health has also instructed NICE, which recommends treatments for use on the NHS, to get ready so that they can consider herceptin as soon as it is licensed.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4702535.stm

I am so relieved that this is happening. I have been very down lately because alot of us in the UK have tried to get this issue moving and nothing seemed to be happening. One insurance company, PPP, even reversed its decision to fund herceptin for early BC and someone I know who did alot on the issue [went on TV, wrote to the Department of Health] unfortunately was recently found to have already developed secondaries, which was quite distressing.

It's good to see things turning around.