Local MP, Caroline Dinenage has signed a public letter, with 26 other MPs, calling on pharmaceutical company, Gilead, to provide free-of-charge access to promising new treatment Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan) to all eligible patients with triple negative incurable secondary breast cancer, until NICE reaches a decision on routine access.
Trodelvy could offer women living with triple negative secondary breast cancer who face short prognoses and limited treatment options the hope of extra months with loved ones and to do what matters most to them.
However, while the exciting new treatment has now been licensed, hundreds of women in England may face an agonising wait of up to six months to access Trodelvy, until a NICE decision on routine NHS access next year after Gilead failed to reach an agreement with NHS England to provide immediate access to the treatment.
While Gilead has introduced a pre-reimbursement access scheme for Trodelvy following licensing, this limited scheme does not guarantee that all women who need this drug will be able to receive it over the coming months.
The joint letter from MPs to the VP & General Manager of UK & Ireland at Gilead follows UK charity Breast Cancer Now’s ‘It’s Time for Trodelvy’ petition reaching over 215,000 signatures and joins the calls on the pharmaceutical company to agree an interim access arrangement with NHS England and provide the drug free-of-charge to all eligible women who desperately need it and don’t have time to wait.
Commenting Caroline said:
“The extra time that Trodelvy could bring would mean so much to women with triple negative secondary breast cancer, offering them the hope of more time to spend with their friends and family. That’s why I’m calling on Gilead to guarantee all eligible women can access this drug without delay.”
