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Added: Friday, 20 November, 2009, 14:31 GMT 14:31 UK

From what I have read, Nexavar will extend your life by only about six months. That being so, then NICE probably made the right decision. It could be afforded if the vast amount spent by the NHS on oversubscribing prescription drugs to people who are deemed to be 'at risk' was cut back. But then targets set by government, which GPs have to meet, would then suffer.

John de St Croix, London

Added: Friday, 20 November, 2009, 10:45 GMT 10:45 UK

A report released today says that local councils are wasting £4.5 billion a year on red tape, hmmmm, could go towards NHS and medication costs maybe?!

Matthew, London

Added: Friday, 20 November, 2009, 10:36 GMT 10:36 UK

The cost of these drugs are so high because the patent time is so short that the companies have to raise prices in order to make the development process feasible. Surely it is possible to extend the patent time if the company agrees to sell the drug at much lower, and more realistic price for the duration of the extended patent?

Sue, Bristol

Added: Friday, 20 November, 2009, 10:36 GMT 10:36 UK

That's right blame the Pharma Industry! Drug spend , as a percentage, has not increased as a percentage of total NHS spend in the last 30/40 years.
If WE really want extra money for services in OUR nhs then look at the beaurocrats both in the Health Service and Government.......save a WHooole lot of dosh cutting several thousand of these wasters.
Ah. Feel better now.
Agree with " wait 'til it happens to you" comment too.....it's very easy to be judgemental............ from afar!

Ronnie, Glasgow

Added: Friday, 20 November, 2009, 10:17 GMT 10:17 UK

medication should be refused when those who are seeking it due to an addiction (tabacco / alcohol / drugs etc.), are unwilling or show no intent to change their lifestyle to aid their health.

Curious George, London

Added: Friday, 20 November, 2009, 09:33 GMT 09:33 UK

As and when they are needed, what should be rgulated is the top heavy burgeoning administration in the NHS, regarding this last point I have personal experience of the multi layer NHS bureaucracy.

Machiavelli, Cambridge

Added: Friday, 20 November, 2009, 09:28 GMT 09:28 UK

I hate the brainless media shouting about these topics. You've no idea if these drugs truly extend life or if it will make any real difference. It also makes it seem these patients aren't receiving any alternative. Of course they are and that's what's made them live even this long. Why is it the NHS's fault drugs are so expensive? Why not attack the drug companies for blackmailing people over their lives with these hugely expensive drugs?

Neil, Bath

Added: Friday, 20 November, 2009, 07:50 GMT 07:50 UK

A few naive comments here. Why are drugs expensive? Profits are just one of many issues: the cost of research behind each new drug, the amount of testing to prove them safe, the cost of regulation and suproviding evidence to the FDA, the cost of skilled scientists and technicians, the ingredients, the highly complex processes to malke them,

It's suggested on HTS that drug companies be forced to sell certain drugs at a loss - do this and you will see no new wonder drugs as research stops

pb, fleet

Added: Friday, 20 November, 2009, 07:49 GMT 07:49 UK

As a research chemist, I fully appreciate that pharma firms need to recover R&D costs, but lest we forget academia is responsible for identifying lead compounds and targets of interest. This anticancer drug Nexavar could be synthesised in 5 steps at a calculated cost of £300 of consumables per 25g - enough for 2 months of treatment. Many poorer countries are able to receive substantial discounts from the pharma firms or licences to produce generic versions, whereas we in Britain pay full price.

Adam, Aldershot

Added: Friday, 20 November, 2009, 07:21 GMT 07:21 UK

Drug treatments are big business, supposedly each is a step nearer to finding a cure.
After previous cases of the NHS paying too much for drugs, it's good to know they will not be held to ransom by the drug companies.

One of my work colleagues died of liver cancer recently, in a charity run hospice, after the orthodox treatments failed.

I think he would have liked to believe a cure may come from his death rather than just a huge medical expense later down the line.

RIP Mick

Stephen Brown, Houghton Regis

Added: Friday, 20 November, 2009, 02:19 GMT 02:19 UK

"Lets make this very clear. The deep biological urge to have a child is not the same desire to have a car or a house. It is evolution, regardless of how many people are on this planet.

Educator, London."

I'm sorry to sound cold-hearted, but evolution works by furthering the fitness of the species. The inability to conceive is a case of natural selection taking place.

IVF is effectively fighting AGAINST evolution, allowing infertility traits to be selected equally against fertility traits.

Ed, Glasgow

Added: Friday, 20 November, 2009, 01:36 GMT 01:36 UK

My Husband David Had Liver Cancer we found in 07 just a few months before our little boy was born. If it wasn't for the private health insurance we had through my job. We wouldn't have got Nexavar Sorafenib. We were told he had only a few months to live. The insurance agreed to fund treatment for 6 months. My husband was on the drug for over a year. Which in all gave us an extra 2yrs and he even saw his son's 2nd birthday. Sadly Dave passed away on 23/10/09. Bayer even interviewed us.

theresa, waltham cross

Added: Friday, 20 November, 2009, 01:15 GMT 01:15 UK

We must realize that our society is rapidly becoming morally and ethically bankrupt as we continue down the road to Hell where the value of a human life is measured in terms of relatively small amounts of money. 3000 pounds is not a lot of money relative to the billions involved in other economic areas and compared to the amounts wasted in countless areas of our society. Even the fact of government creating enough money to pay for such needs would stimulate the economy, and would not harm it.

Bob Ezergailis, Hamilton, Canada

Added: Friday, 20 November, 2009, 24:22 GMT 00:22 UK

Why is a non-elected and unaccountable body making decisions such as these? NICE should be making recommendations to our elected representatives and it is they who should then make the decisions, for which they can be held accountable Seems accountability is, yet again, not in favour with those we elect.

anna, faversham

Added: Friday, 20 November, 2009, 24:22 GMT 00:22 UK

Who gets what treatment has always been haphazard Why health tourist get it why recent immigrants who haven't paid into the system why those who put themselves at risk get it.Why are some surgerys not giving swine flu jabs to those who meet all the cryteria ecept one that is age, does it really matter that some one is over 65 when they have underlying health problems no immune system are living with close family in the at risk catagory will it matter that they will take up hospital beds???

Daisy Daisy, Reading