Cancer Research UK is very disappointed with NICE's decision to reject four kidney cancer drugs.
Following a preliminary review, NICE has ruled that although these drugs are clinically effective, they are not good value for money for the NHS.
Metastatic renal cell carcinoma is a rare form of kidney cancer so there is limited, but robust, clinical data on the best way to treat it and very few treatment options for the disease. But doctors think that because these new drugs could extend a patient's life, they should have the option to have these treatments.
Cancer Research UK - the largest publicly funded research charity in the UK - wants to see the way NICE review the value of drugs altered for rare diseases, such as this type of kidney cancer, where clinical benefit is proven but evidence is limited.
Professor Peter Johnson, Cancer Research UK's chief clinician, said: "We are disappointed at NICE's view that although these drugs are clinically effective, their high price means that they are not considered to be value for money for the NHS. These drugs have shown a small but definite improvement in an illness where there are few alternative treatments. If this decision stands it will be very frustrating for cancer patients and their clinicians.