02-05-2025
Doctors call for public patients to have access to breakthrough therapy for prostate cancer
A new therapy 'likely to change the face of prostate cancer treatment' for men should be funded for public patients, according to almost 40 cancer consultants.
The doctors wrote to HSE CEO Bernard Gloster this week asking for negotiations with the makers of Pluvicto to continue. It benefits men with advanced metastatic prostate cancer. It was approved in France earlier this week and is used across eight EU countries and elsewhere.
The letter, seen by the Irish Examiner, states they 'understand the complexities involved in decisions of this nature' on funding.
'Clinicians worldwide involved in caring for these patients regard (Pluvicto) as a significant breakthrough therapy for patients with advanced disease,' the letter states.
'It offers the potential to prolong life, delay disease progression, and improve or maintain quality of life even in patients with very advanced disease. In many countries, it is already considered standard of care treatment in these patients.'
It was developed for prostate cancer which has spread or metastasised and for men resistant to other treatment. The doctors said: 'Radioligand therapy is likely to change the face of prostate cancer treatment and that of many other cancer types also.'
They raised concerns about 'inequitable access' and "a two-tiered system" as patients with the funds can pay for it here. They said this 'goes against many of the key principles set out in the Sláintecare programme'.
The group includes members of a National Cancer Control Programme working group.
They are Dr Martin Higgins, Cork University Hospital /University College Cork Cancer Centre; Professor Michaela Higgins, Irish Society of Medical Oncology president; Prof John Armstong, Irish Society of Radiation Oncology chairman; and Dr Mathilde Colombié, St Vincent's University Hospital.
Other signatories work at CUH, the Bon Secours Hospital in Cork, University Hospital Limerick, University Hospital Galway, the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, and Royal College of Surgeons Ireland.
HSE response
In response a HSE spokeswoman said: 'The application remains under consideration with the HSE. The HSE cannot make any comment on possible outcomes from the ongoing process.'
The application is now with HSE Senior Leadership. In August last year the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics advised against funding when they compared its effects and value against existing treatments.
The HSE Drugs Group assessed it last month, and 'unanimously did not recommend favour of reimbursement' the spokeswoman added.
'The HSE robustly assesses applications for pricing and reimbursement to make sure that it can stretch available resources as far as possible and to deliver the best value in relation to each medicine and ultimately more medicines to Irish citizens and patients.'
A list of nine criteria are taken into account when making these decisions. These include the public health, benefits of this drug compared to existing care, cost effectiveness, the need for any new drug and the HSE's resources.
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