Healthy Skepticism Library item: 11258

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Publication type: Journal Article

White C.
NICE delays decision on drugs for macular degeneration
BMJ 2007 Aug 18; 335:(7615):319
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/335/7615/319-a

Abstract:

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has had to delay its final decision on two drugs for age related macular degeneration after mounting pressure from charities and healthcare professionals.

NICE, which advises health authorities in England and Wales on the treatments to use on the NHS, issued preliminary guidance in June on the use of ranibizumab (marketed as Lucentis) and pegaptanib (Macugen) for the treatment of the disease. Both drugs are already available in Scotland.

It argued that pegaptanib should not be used at all and that ranibizumab should be prescribed only to the one in five people with the neovascular or “wet” form of the disease and only where both eyes were affected and in the better seeing eye only.

Both drugs target vascular endothelial growth factor, high concentrations of which can prompt excess blood vessel formation and fluid leakage in the eye.

Around 26 000 . . .