Drug prices: Government letting patients down if it fails to support law allowing doctors to prescribe low-cost drugs, says charity

The Government will be “letting patients down” if they fail to support a new law which would make it easier for doctors to prescribe low-cost drugs for cancer and other diseases, a leading charity has said.

A change in the law backed by medical charities and the Royal College of Physicians would require the Health Secretary to take on responsibility for seeking new licences for existing ‘off-patent’ drugs, when they are found to have benefits against other diseases.

MPs will debate the Off-Patent Drugs Bill on 6 November, but the Breast Cancer Now charity said it was concerned the Government would withhold its support, as it has done on similar legislation in the past.

Baroness Delyth Morgan, the organisation’s chief executive said the Government appeared set on opposing the bill “despite widespread support from the medical community, charities and MPs”.

Patients with cancers of the breast, prostate, brain and blood, as well as people living with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis, could all benefit from drugs licenced for other diseases.

But because such drugs have lost their patent, their manufacturers no longer have a monopoly on them and do not stand to profit if they go through the costly process of relicensing for a new purpose.

The Private Members Bill, brought forward by Labour MP Nick Thomas-Symonds, calls on the Secretary of State – currently Jeremy Hunt – to fill the gap and seek new licences for drugs when research shows they have new, previously unknown benefits.

A similar Bill failed to win Government support in the last Parliament, with ministers expressing concern that the Health Secretary, who is also ultimately responsible for drug regulation, could have a conflict of interest. The Government also points out that, by law, doctors can prescribe drugs for purposes for which they are not licenced.

However, medical charities say many doctors are reluctant to do so, because of concerns around litigation, and want all barriers to patients accessing potentially beneficial drugs removed.

The case for the Bill was strengthened earlier this year when new research revealed a group five pence pills already routinely prescribed to strengthen bones could save up 1,000 lives a year if used to treat breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Now warned that without the law, many patients could miss out because there is no “commercial incentive” for drug companies to relicense them.

Baroness Morgan said: “Ultimately, [the Government] has a responsibility to explore all avenues that could reduce barriers to drug access; by not engaging more seriously with the issues raised in the Bill and by letting this vital chance go to waste, they are letting patients down.”

A Department of Health Spokesperson said the Government would set out its current position on 6 November.

“Clinicians across the UK are already free to prescribe off-patent drugs licensed for a different indication if they believe they are right for their patient,” the spokesperson said. “We want to promote greater evidence-based use of off-label drugs by getting more information to clinicians on which drugs work best.”