Advice

Following an Independent Review Panel consideration.

Zoledronic acid (Zometa®) is not recommended for use within NHS Scotland for the prevention of skeletal related events (SREs) in patients with advanced prostate cancer involving bone.

Although zoledronic acid demonstrated a reduction in SREs compared with placebo in these patients, the absolute reduction was small and the study requires caution in accepting this as sufficient evidence to introduce zoledronic acid into standard practice for the treatment of patients with metastatic prostate cancer. An economic case was submitted by the manufacturer but its quality was not judged to be sufficient to support a recommendation that the drug is cost-effective relative to standard practice in Scotland for this particular indication.

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Medicine details

Medicine name:
Zoledronic acid (Zometa®)
SMC ID:
29/02
Indication:
Skeletal related events in patients with advanced prostate cancer involving bone
Pharmaceutical company
Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd
BNF chapter
Endocrine system
Submission type
IRP
Status
Not recommended
Date advice published
12 January 2004