Access to Medicine
This page is dedicated to the Blood Cancer Alliance’s continued work focusing on access to medicines and treatment for blood cancer patients. In 2022, we published report focusing on this issue, which highlighted a number or areas where improvements could be made. In February 2025, we first published evidence of a specific terminated NICE appraisals and how it is disproportionately affecting the availability of new blood cancer treatments - and updated this research in Autumn 2025. It is available here.
In November 2025, we also launched a new policy report looking at terminations and wider issues impacting blood cancer patients’ access to new treatments, including a series of case studies of treatments that are proven effective but not available on the NHS. The report also contains a series of policy calls that will tackle the issues raised. Please read the full report here.
Blood Cancer Alliance Statement on terms of new US/UK trade deal on pharmaceuticals
Yesterday, as part of a UK/USA trade deal that has secured zero tariffs on UK pharmaceutical exports to the US, UK government departments including the Department of Health and Social Care announced the following new measures relating to the UK system for securing patient access to new and innovative medicines.
- A change in the NICE - National Institute for Health and Care Excellence cost-per-QALY valuation thresholds from £20,000 - £30,000 to £25,000 - £35,000 for all innovative new medicines
- The implementation of an updated version of the instrument for measuring the impact of new medicines on health-related quality of life .
- A cap on the VPAG rebate rate of 15%.
It is the view of the Alliance that this package of measures could have the potential to deliver improvement in patient access to innovative new blood cancer treatments, and address some of the challenges we raised in our recent policy report on this issue.
With few surgical options available, blood cancer patients are dependent on rapid access to innovation in treatments that can offer them better outcomes and a better quality of life. We hope to see more detail about the announcement which will help us to fully assess how it can work to benefit people with blood cancer.
Dr. Sophie Castell, BCA Co-Chair and CEO of Myeloma UK said:
"Every day counts when you’re living with the incurable blood cancer myeloma so anything that brings medicines into the hands of patients faster and allows them to live better and longer lives is a hugely positive and welcome move. People with myeloma (and many other blood cancers) rely completely on innovative treatments, because surgery or radiotherapy are not options for treating myeloma, so getting access to the best new drugs as quickly as possible is a lifeline."
The Alliance is a member of the Charities Medicines Access Coalition and fully support their statement:
"This agreement could mark a significant step forward for patients and has the potential to enhance access to proven innovative medicines. The Government now needs to build on the foundation laid by these changes and ensure that patients see the benefits. People living with cancer, long-term conditions and other serious illnesses need confidence that they will be able to access innovative new medicines that they could benefit from. Keeping patient needs at the heart of the process is essential, and we look forward to working with all stakeholders to ensure that it delivers real benefits for people across the UK"
New Blood Cancer Alliance Report: Improving Access to Blood Cancer Treatments
On 12th November 2025, the Blood Cancer Alliance launched a new policy report examining how systemic issues in the way the UK values, appraises and reimburses new medicines is impacting blood cancer patients’ access to cutting edge treatment innovations. The report includes updated data on the disproportionately high rate of terminations of NICE appraisals of new blood cancer treatments in comparison to appraisals of other cancer therapies - with some 35% of blood cancer appraisals terminated compared to just 16% on other cancers. The research also found that blood cancer treatments account for 54% of all terminated appraisals across cancer - despite all blood cancers together representing the fifth most common cancer.
The report outlines the challenge for patient organisations in fully understanding the root cause of the disproportionate impact of issues in the system on blood cancer appraisals, and contains the following policy calls, which it believes will be positive progress towards addressing the problem:
Ø A DHSC-convened expert group to tackle the high and disproportionate rate of terminated appraisals in blood cancer;
Ø A full review of the appraisal, reimbursement, and adoption pathway for new cancer treatments;
Ø A review of the Commercial Framework to allow greater flexibility for treatments for rare and complex cancers;
Ø Increased transparency across the UK in drug approval and adoption processes.
Read the full report here.
BCA and Costello Medical Research Report: Barriers to Access to New Blood Cancer Treatments
On 26th February 2025, the Blood Cancer Alliance launched a new report based on research commissioned from Costello Medical. The report looked into the outcomes of NICE treatment appraisals for new blood cancer therapies over the five year period to August 2024. In that time period, only 56% of blood cancer treatment appraisals were successful, in comparison to 74% of appraisals of new treatments for other cancers. The research also found a contributing factor to this disparity to be the rate at which pharmaceutical companies are terminating appraisals of treatments for blood cancer in comparison to in other cancers. In the same time period, 38% of NICE appraisals of blood cancer treatments were terminated - meaning they could not be made available to NHS patients, compared to only 14% across other cancer treatments.
The report also looked into whether any of those treatments subject to terminated appraisal in the UK were available overseas. The research assessed seven comparator countries, and found that nine treatments subject to terminated appraisal in the UK were available to patients in France, and six were available to patients in Canada.
The BCA will be using the findings of this research to encourage Government, NHS and pharma industry stakeholders to work together to help understand why there is such a disparity in the rate of terminated appraisals in blood cancer vs. other cancers, and what the solutions are to this issue - which ultimately leads to blood cancer patients being denied access to innovative new therapies that deliver better outcomes via the NHS.
BCA Joint Statement on NHS England Commercial Framework Consultation
On 25th September 2024, the Blood Cancer Alliance published a joint statement with patient organisations on NHS England’s Commercial Framework consultation. The statement is co-signed by Cancer 52, the Charity Medicines Access Coalition, Fifth Sense, Sinus UK, EOS Network and Prurigo Nodularis International. The statement can be viewed here.
BCA Joint Statement on VPAS covered by Pharmaphorum
Please see linked here an article by Leela Barham for Pharmaphorum which mentions the BCA’s joint statement with Charity Medicines Access Coalition (CMAC), Cancer52 on VPAS which was published in March 2023
BCA Joint Statement on VPAS
Please see linked here the BCA’s joint statement with Charity Medicines Access Coalition (CMAC), Cancer52 on VPAS which was published in March 2023.
BCA Statement on VPAS covered by Pink Sheet
Please see linked here an article by Leela Barham for Pink Sheet on the BCA’s statement on VPAS.
BCA Statement on VPAS
Please see linked here the BCA’s statement on VPAS which was published in October 2022.
BCA response to consultation on the Innovative Medicines Fund
Please see linked here the BCA’s response to the NHS England, NHS Improvement and NICE consultation on the Innovative Medicines Fund.
Meeting with Grahame Morris MP
On Monday 1st March 2021, we met with the Vice-Chair of the APPG on Cancer Grahame Morris MP to discuss the BCA’s Access to Medicine Report.
Within the meeting we also discussed a range of issues facing the blood cancer community including the Cancer Drugs Fund, vaccination access for blood cancer patients and calls for blood cancer to become part of the ‘Big Five.’
Answers to written questions in Parliament
Please find links below to the recently tabled questions questions by Martyn Day MP, the SNP Public Health and Primary Care Spokesperson:
Meeting with Jim Shannon MP
On Monday 18th January we met with the DUP’s Westminster Health and Human Rights Spokesperson Jim Shannon MP to discuss the BCA’s Access to Medicine Report.
Within the meeting we also discussed a range of issues facing the blood cancer community including the Cancer Drugs Fund and vaccination access for blood cancer patients.
NICE Methods Consultation Review
Please find a link here to the BCA’s recently submitted response to the NICE Methods Consultation Review.
Answers to written questions in Holyrood
Please find links below to the recently tabled written questions by Miles Briggs MSP, the Scottish Conservative Chief Whip in Holyrood:
Meeting with Lord Mendelsohn
On Monday 30th November we were fortunate to meet with Labour peer Lord Mendelsohn to discuss the BCA’s recently published Access to Medicine report.
Within the meeting we also discussed a range of other issues facing the blood cancer community.
Answers to written questions in Cardiff Bay
Please find links below to the recently tabled written questions in Cardiff Bay by Andrew RT Davies, the Welsh Conservative Health, Social Services and Sport Spokesperson:
Official transcript from Health and Social Care Oral Questions
Please find a link here to the official transcript from Health and Social Care Oral Questions including a question from Shadow Public Health and Patient Safety Minister, Alex Norris MP on the need for covid-free wards and regular NHS staff testing for extremely vulnerable immuno-compromised cancer patients.
Answers to written questions in Stormont
Please find links below to the recently tabled questions in the Northern Ireland Executive by Pam Cameron MLA, the Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Health:
Meeting with Alex Norris MP - Shadow Public Health and Patient Safety Minister
On Thursday 12th November, we were fortunate to meet with Shadow Public Health and Patient Safety Minister Alex Norris MP to discuss the Access to Medicine report.
Within the meeting we also raised the concerns of the blood cancer community to the latest shielding advice from the Government and discussed the ongoing NICE Methods Review
Please find here the national press release produced for the report.
LAUNCH EVENT
The report was launched at a virtual event on Monday 19th October chaired by Henry Smith MP.
Over 50 individuals from across industry, parliament, NHS England and regulatory bodies attended the launch session.
The event included a presentation on the findings from the report, a powerful patient testimony and a significant question and answer session.