Lucentis to Be Withheld From Diabetics

Fri, 15 Jul 2011
Lucentis can cost a minimal £1,500 per patient with diabetic macular oedema (DMO), or up to £10,000, dependent on how severe the condition is.

Presently, approved laser treatments appear to just prevent further degeneration.

However, the Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) has recommended that Lucentis, a drug which is helpful for correcting this situation, not be prescribed by NHS doctors due to its cost.

The medicine is injected into the eye .

DMO impacts a tenth of diabetics, or, around 50,000 individuals in the UK.

It can alter blood vessels serving the centre of the retina which can lead to a steady loss of vision.

Sir Andrew Dillon, chief executive of Nice, said: "Although it has been shown in clinical trials to be an effective treatment for DMO, the Appraisal Committee was unable to recommend the drug as a cost-effective use of NHS resources compared to laser photocoagulation."

The diabetes charity, Diabetes UK, stated that the cost of caring for those with sight loss outweighs the cost of the Lucentis treatment, as well as the human cost.

It is of great concern that local health services are going to use this decision to stop such treatment.

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