NRAS statement on NICE preliminary
guidance on the use of abatacept (Orencia)
in the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
03/08/07: Ailsa Bosworth
Statement from the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society
Embargoed to 1st August, 2007
NICE preliminary guidance on abatacept (Orencia) “devastating news” for people with severe rheumatoid arthritis
National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society urges NICE to reconsider guidance
The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) is urging the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to reconsider its recommendation in the Appraisal Consultation Document not to prescribe abatacept (Orencia) for the treatment of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis.
Ailsa Bosworth, Chief Executive of NRAS, comments:
“This is extremely bad news for people living with severe rheumatoid arthritis in the UK and a potential step backwards in the management of the condition, if this decision is not reversed.
“Denying patients the option of abatacept reduces the options for the most severely ill people with RA.
“We are talking about a relatively small number of patients who have a very aggressive and severe form of rheumatoid arthritis. They will have failed many other treatment options before they are recommended for abatacept. T herefore patients need more choice of agents that work in different ways to combat this complex and terrible disease, not less”.
“From a cost perspective only those who attain sufficient benefit will remain on treatment. If there is no response then treatment can be stopped very quickly so minimising cost”.
“More effective biologic therapies are needed to enable people with RA to remain within the workforce and the fact that NICE does not take work related disability into account in their economic modelling makes no sense to us.”
“The guidance recommends denying our most severely ill rheumatoid arthritis sufferers one less vital step in their treatment pathway. We simply cannot accept that individuals should be denied the chance of at least regaining some quality of life and condemning them to a life of pain and disability, which could be equally as expensive to the NHS.”
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About NRAS:
- The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) was launched in October 2001 and in a relatively short time has become established as the campaigning voice in the UK for people with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
- NRAS provides a total one-stop-shop with support, information and advocacy for all people in the UK with RA, their carers and families.
- NRAS has a national volunteer network, a group of people with the disease who provide peer to peer support and provide additional resource to help NRAS in many different ways.
Case studies are available
For more information, please contact:
Ailsa Bosworth, Chief Executive, National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society
Tel: 0845 458 3969
Or
Jon Pike, Press Officer for NRAS
Tel: 07989 850 195