Xolair in the UK

[Guest guest]

Apparently, a 75 mg vial is available in Europe, but not in the US.

In the US, we who need only 375 mg have to pay for three 150 mg vials,

thus 75 mg are wasted but still charged ($300 down the drain) for each

treatment)- $600 a month!

Xolair given NICE approval

28 November 2007

Asthma UK has welcomed the decision by the National Institute for

Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to approve the drug Omalizumab

(Xolair) for use.

Xolair is given as an `add-on therapy' in a fortnightly injection for

people with asthma that is severe, persistent and allergic. The drug

will dramatically transform the lives of people with this type of

asthma, by allowing them to do everyday activities that have always

been a struggle or sometimes impossible, such as going to work, going

on holiday, having a night-out or even just walking to the shops.

Another benefit of Xolair will be a reduction in cost to the NHS. 80%

of the money spent on asthma is actually spent on the 20% of people

with the most severe asthma symptoms. This revolutionary new treatment

will reduce that cost and make it easier for people with asthma to

manage their condition more effectively (according to the

manufacturer, around 6,000 people UK-wide will benefit from Xolair).

Xolair was approved for use in Scotland in October 2007 and will

become available to people with asthma in England and Wales within the

next three months. Confirmation that the treatment will be available

in Northern Ireland is expected in December.

Neil Churchill, Chief Executive of Asthma UK, said: `We are thrilled

with NICE's decision, which is a victory for people with severe,

allergic asthma, who have fought to receive this life-changing drug.

`Asthma UK has campaigned hard for this drug to be made available

through health services, however, we wouldn't have achieved this

result without the commitment of people with asthma and clinicians who

supported our case.

`Existing asthma treatments just don't work for around half a million

people across the UK living with difficult to control asthma. Xolair

will be suitable for a small number of these people and will literally

transform their lives.

`This treatment really can mean the difference between a life worth

living and having no quality of life at all.'

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