August 2020 decisions news release

The Scottish Medicines Consortium, (SMC), which advises on newly licensed medicines for use by NHSScotland, has today (Monday 10 August) published advice accepting neratinib (Nerlynx) for the treatment of breast cancer.

Neratinib is used to treat patients with early hormone receptor positive HER2-positive breast cancer who have had surgery. It is given following treatment with another medicine, trastuzumab. In a patient group submission, the charity Breast Cancer Now highlighted how an initial diagnosis of breast cancer can cause considerable anxiety for the patient, their family and friends, and the prospect of the cancer returning or spreading can be extremely frightening. Neratinib can help reduce recurrence of the disease.

This decision was expedited as part of an approach to minimise delay in issuing SMC advice following the suspension of meetings during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

SMC is now in the process of resuming meetings. Find out more.