§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the(a) efficacy and (b) availability within the NHS of oxaliplatin. [117166]
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§ Ms BlearsIn March 2002, the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) published recommendations on the use of oxaliplatin for the treatment of advanced bowel cancer.
NICE recommended that oxaliplatin, in combination with fluorouracil and folinic acid, should be considered for use as first-line treatment for advanced bowel cancer in patients who have metastases that occur only in the liver, which may become operable following treatment.
The national health service is now implementing NICE'S recommendations on this drug.
NICE is due to review these recommendations in April 2005.