The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) published advice on this medication for this indication following a resubmission in August 2007:
Bortezomib (Velcade®) is not recommended for use within NHS Scotland as mono-therapy for the treatment of progressive multiple myeloma in patients who have received at least one prior therapy and who have already undergone or are unsuitable for bone marrow transplantation. Bortezomib, compared to high dose dexamethasone, prolonged time to disease progression by 2.7 months and improved survival in patients who had progressive multiple myeloma despite previous treatment with one to three lines of therapy. However, the manufacturer’s justification of the treatment’s cost in relation to its health benefits was not sufficient to gain acceptance by SMC and they did not present a sufficiently robust economic analysis.
Access the advice of the Scottish Medicines Consortium
In this case, there is a material difference between the NICE STA and the SMC recommendation.
NHSScotland should note that:
1. NHS Boards should continue to adhere to the SMC advice.
2. The new NICE single technology appraisal process is being monitored by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, Scottish Government Health Directorates and SMC for a period of time. During this period recommendations of NICE STAs will be only for noting by NHS Scotland in the knowledge that SMC have already issued advice on the medicine which NHSScotland should follow.
3. Hard copies of NICE appraisals are available from NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (contact Shonagh Buchanan, tel 0141 225 6993 or email shonagh.buchanan@nhs.net).