Claire Rowney, chief executive at Breast Cancer Now said:
“It’s fantastic that official advice now supports the use of anastrozole, tamoxifen and raloxifene [1] for women in Scotland who have a significant family history of breast cancer, to help more women reduce their chance of developing the devastating disease.
“Yet while today’s announcement is a significant milestone in ensuring consistent access across Scotland, we’re deeply concerned by the fact there is no pathway setting out how the NHS should deliver these risk-reducing treatments meaning that far too many women will continue to miss out on access to these vital drugs.
“As acknowledged by the National Cancer Medicines Advisory Group (NCMAG), the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland must develop a national pathway to ensure this advice is implemented. This must happen without delay to ensure eligible women are both offered risk-reducing drugs and given the information and support they need to make an informed decision.
“Around 4,770 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in Scotland, and it’s vital more is done to help women reduce their risk of developing this devastating disease.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
[1] The National Cancer Medicines Advisory Group (NCMAG) in Scotland has supported the use of three risk reducing treatments of breast cancer for women at a moderate to high risk of developing the disease:
- tamoxifen in the primary prevention of breast cancer in women at moderate or high risk
- anastrozole in the primary prevention of breast cancer in postmenopausal women at moderate or high risk
- raloxifene in the primary prevention of breast cancer in post-menopausal women at moderate to high risk for whom anastrozole and tamoxifen is not suitable