Cancer Drug 'Could Be Used for Blindness'

Thousands of patients could be treated with a controversial drug to stop them going blind, it has emerged.

Doctors around the country have been using tiny doses of the cancer drug, Avastin, to treat age-related macular degeneration which is the leading cause of blindness in Britain.

The drug is not licensed for this use and Roche are unlikely to carry out clinical trials in order to have it licensed as it already produces Lucentis for use in AMD.


Using Avastin instead of Lucentis is cheaper for the NHS.

However in an unusual move, the Department of Health has asked issued the National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence to look at what advice it can give the NHS on the use of Avastin for AMD.

Nice is due to report back in the summer.

 

 

telegraph.co.uk