UK NHS Approves Life-Extending Breast Cancer Drug After Initial Rejection

Thousands of women in England diagnosed with incurable HER2-low breast cancer will now have access to Enhertu, a drug shown to extend lives by up to three years. This decision represents a major reversal by National Health Service (NHS) drug chiefs, who had previously deemed the treatment not to be cost-effective.

The drug, also known as trastuzumab deruxtecan, has been available in Scotland since 2023 and in 26 European nations. Its recent approval in England is attributed to a new trade deal impacting the UK's medicine budget and revised methods for assessing value for money.

Charities and patients have described the approval as bittersweet. While celebrating the outcome, they also acknowledged the lengthy campaign and the many lives lost during the period of delay. Claire Rowney, Chief Executive of Breast Cancer Now, stated, "Today we can finally say we did it," but added, "We can't celebrate this momentous decision without remembering the devastating cost of this delay."

Enhertu, administered as an infusion, targets an aggressive and fast-growing form of breast cancer that accounts for approximately half of all cases. While its cost in the US is around $10,000 per patient per month, the NHS can negotiate lower prices. Findings presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference in Chicago last year indicated that Enhertu was highly effective and should be a primary treatment option for patients with advanced HER2-low breast cancer.

Health Secretary Yvette Cooper commented on the approval, saying, "Enhertu can be life-changing, and this recommendation means NHS patients will finally be able to benefit from it. It is a tribute to the campaigners and charities who never stopped pressing for this."