Hundreds of patients with skin cancer, kidney cancer and an aggressive type of blood cancer could benefit from a breakthrough drug approved for financial reimbursement by the Health Service Executive from Monday.
Nivolumab had been one of a number of treatments at the centre of a pricing controversy involving the HSE and the Department of Health.
Depending on the type of cancer it is used to treat, the cost of the drug could range from €50,000-€100,000 per patient per annum.
Minister for Health Simon Harris told the Dáil in response to a parliamentary question on October 3rd that the HSE had received separate applications for the reimbursement of treatments in the public health service for nivolumab (produced by Bristol-Myers Squibb under the brand name Opdivo) for eight separate indications, including for use as a combination therapy.
He said that following an assessment by the HSE and consultation with his department regarding the funding implications, nivolumab had been approved by the HSE for the treatment of melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and Hodgkin lymphoma.
Mr Harris said the HSE expected the reimbursement of nivolumab for these indications in public hospitals to commence from October 9th.
Support
He confirmed the executive had decided not to support the use of the drug in the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.
“Availability of these treatments in a private hospital is a matter between the individual patient, their health insurer and the hospital concerned,” Mr Harris said.
“Any decision by a private health insurer to link its policy on cover for a drug treatment in a private hospital to the HSE assessment process is a matter for the insurer and the private hospital concerned.”
The Minister said the remaining applications were currently being considered and were at different stages of the assessment process.
Bristol-Myers Squibb confirmed the HSE had recommended the use of the “breakthrough and potentially life-extending cancer immunotherapy, Opdivo (nivolumab)”, on its own and in combination with Yervoy (ipilimumab) on the State’s health service.
“This recommendation means that eligible patients with advanced melanoma, advanced kidney cancer and an aggressive blood cancer, classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) can potentially benefit from nivolumab immediately.”
The Irish Cancer Society says an average of 40,000 cases of cancer are diagnosed here every year, with the most common types being skin cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, bowel cancer and lung cancer. Over 9,000 people here die from cancer every year – about a third of all deaths.
Diagnosed
About 1,700 people were diagnosed with advanced melanoma, kidney cancer and cHL between 2012-2014 and nearly 400 patients died between 2011-2013.
Kay Curtin of Melanoma Support Ireland welcomed the announcement of reimbursement for nivolumab as monotherapy or in combination with ipilimumab for patients living in Ireland with advanced melanoma.
"These ground-breaking treatments will undoubtedly benefit patients, many of whom are struggling to survive this disease and are often from a younger age category to other cancers," Ms Curtin said.
“As melanoma diagnosis rates have increased rapidly for some years in Ireland, these approvals will finally offer those with advanced disease, similar treatment options to our European counterparts, which is fantastic news for Irish patients.”
General manager of Bristol-Myers Squibb in the UK and Ireland Benjamin Hickey said other patients were still waiting to see if they could also benefit from nivolumab.
“For those with advanced forms of lung cancer, we are doing everything in our power to ensure they too can access nivolumab on the Irish health service. We remain hopeful that, working with the HSE, we will find a solution soon.”