Accessing Advanced Therapies (biologics, biosimilars, oral JAK inhibitors)
For some time, NRAS has been concerned that some Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) have been artificially restricting access to advanced therapies (biologics, biosimilars/JAK inhibitors) and undertook a Freedom of Information request to all CCGs about this. Following discussions with NHS England on behalf of RA patients about this practice, which was felt to be unethical, NRAS is delighted to share with you news of the attached recently published statement from the NHS Regional Medicines Optimisation Committee.
This statement about the sequential use of biologics has clarified that restricting access to NICE approved medicines is counter to the provisions of the NHS Constitution and that ‘clinical assessment of the appropriateness of treatments should be the overriding factor rather than the implementation of policies for cost-saving reasons’. NRAS urges you to print the statement and share it with colleagues in rheumatology who may not yet be aware of this important clarification on advanced therapy pathways. If the CCGs you deal with are not adhering to this NHS England guidance, NRAS would like to know and would urge you to email samuel@nras.org.uk with details of which CCGs’ practices brings them into opposition to the NHS constitution.