Concern over UK cancer drug provision

Despite the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's recommendationthat women in England and Wales with breast and ovarian cancers should be offered Bristol-Myers Squibb's Taxol (paclitaxel) and Aventis' Taxotere (docetaxel; Marketletters May 15 and June 26), many patients are still not receiving these products, says the cancer charity CancerBACUP.

A survey by the group found that more than 20% of Health Authorities could not confirm that suitable breast cancer patients were being offered taxane treatment, while 15% of HAs were unable to confirm that Taxol was being offered to ovarian cancer patients. 77% of HAs have made funds available to provide breast cancer treatment and 86% have provided funding for ovarian cancer treatment, but only 36% have a written policy for monitoring local compliance with NICE guidance, CancerBACUP adds.