Thousands of breast cancer patients in England have been denied access to a life-extending drug that is available on the NHS in Scotland, according to campaigners. Enhertu, a targeted treatment for HER2-low metastatic breast cancer, remains unavailable in England despite being licensed and recommended in Scotland. Charities Breast Cancer Now, METUPUK, and Make2ndsCount have launched the Enhertu Now campaign, urging the NHS, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and manufacturers AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo to reach an agreement.
Enhertu is the first licensed targeted therapy for patients with HER2-low breast cancer that cannot be surgically removed or has spread. NICE initially declined to recommend the drug in September 2023, requesting more data from the manufacturers. Scotland approved it two months later, while NICE paused its appraisal for further price talks. Negotiations collapsed three times: in March 2024, summer 2024, and November 2024, with no agreement. If approved, around 1,000 patients per year would benefit.
Patient Stories Highlight Urgency
Claire Rowney, chief executive of Breast Cancer Now, stated: "We're here, once again, asking for Enhertu to be made available. The tragic reality is that a number of the incredible women who campaigned with us in 2024 have since died, denied the chance to benefit from this drug. While it's sadly too late for them, a solution must be reached urgently so history doesn't repeat itself." She added that some women have spent their savings on private treatment or considered moving to Scotland for free access.
Alison Jones, 62, from Worthing, diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2022, said: "My latest scan shows spread in my pelvis and spine, so I will change treatment soon. There are only so many lines of treatment, and this has made me more fearful of not getting Enhertu. When I first heard it was rejected, I was in disbelief. Now that the NHS can pay more for drugs, it's time for pharmaceutical companies to agree a price."
Recent Changes in NHS Pricing Thresholds
In April, the government increased NICE's cost-effectiveness threshold to £25,000-£35,000 per quality-adjusted life year gained, leading to NHS rollout of two new cancer drugs: vorasidenib for brain cancer and ripretinib for rare stomach cancer. Following this change, talks between NICE, NHS England, and Enhertu's manufacturers have resumed. Breast Cancer Now welcomed the threshold increase but called for urgent action on Enhertu.
Rowney said: "The government's decision presents a vital opportunity to break this deadlock. But this opportunity requires action now. People we hear from aren't asking for miracles. They're asking for time, for options, for a fair chance to benefit from innovations in medicine and access to the same treatments as women in other parts of the world."
A joint statement from Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca confirmed ongoing talks with NICE and NHS England "to identify a solution to support access to Enhertu for HER2-low metastatic breast cancer patients in England, Wales and Northern Ireland."
