Allow access to Keytruda for ovarian cancer patients
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To:
Minister for Health Innovation - James Frith MP
Managing Director for MSD in the UK and Ireland - Ben Lucas
Re: NICE guidance on Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for ovarian cancer
We are writing to express our disappointment at the recent decision by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) not to recommend Pembrolizumab (Keytruda), for women with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.
This decision will be devastating for many women and their families. For those living with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, treatment options are limited and once ovarian cancer becomes platinum-resistant, outcomes are often poor. The chance to live longer, spend more time with loved ones, and maintain quality of life should not be underestimated.
The implications of this decision also extend beyond England. NICE recommendations for England are typically followed in Wales and Northern Ireland, meaning women across much of the UK could be denied access to a treatment that has demonstrated clear clinical benefit.
We believe women with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer deserve better. We urge the government, NICE and MSD to work together to explore every possible route to make Pembrolizumab available to those who could benefit from it.
Women with ovarian cancer cannot afford to be left behind. We ask that you do everything possible to ensure patients have timely access to innovative treatments that offer hope and the opportunity for more time.