NHS patients may be offered arthritis drug

The watchdog body the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) has produced new draft guidance recommending the use of tocilizumab as a "last resort" treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.

Earlier guidance in March had rejected the drug because it was not considered cost effective. The change of heart came after Nice obtained new data from the medicine's manufacturer, Roche.

Tocilizumab, marketed as RoActemra, is already offered on the NHS in Scotland and works by targeting the immune system. It costs 10,000 per patient per year and can help reduce inflammation of the joints and prevent long-term damage.

The new guidance recommends offering it to patients with moderate to severe symptoms who have failed to respond to other treatments.

At this stage, the decision is still subject to appeal.

Neil Betteridge, chief executive of the charity Arthritis Care, described the move as an "important breakthrough" but warned the drug would still only be available as a "last resort".