BioCentury
ARTICLE | Politics & Policy

NICE cancer product guidance

March 8, 2002 8:00 AM UTC

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued its guidance on the use of 3 advanced colorectal cancer treatments recommending only selective uses for all of them. The institute recommended that Eloxatin oxaliplatin from Sanofi- Synthelabo (Paris, France) be used as a first line combination treatment with 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid (5FU/FA) only in patients whose cancer has spread to the liver. NICE said it did not recommend routine first-line use of Eloxatin because it found no statistically significant evidence that the treatment increases survival rates.

NICE limited the use of Campto irinotecan, marketed by Aventis (AVE), to a second line monotherapy for patients where 5FU has failed or where 5FU is inappropriate. Irinotecan combination treatments with 5FU/FA were not recommended for routine first-line treatment, on the basis of insufficient evidence of their clinical and cost effectiveness, NICE said. ...