Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Andrew Gregory Health editor

NHS in England to offer pioneering cancer drug to patients with ‘Jolie gene’

Scan for breast cancer
Nice has given olaparib the green light for use in women with HER2-negative, high-risk early breast cancer who have inherited faults in their BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. Photograph: Marina Krasnokutska/Alamy

The NHS in England is to offer thousands of cancer patients the world’s first cancer drug to target an inherited genetic fault, after a U-turn by the health watchdog.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) opted last year not to recommend olaparib for breast cancer patients with the so-called “Angelina Jolie gene” because of its high cost. The pioneering drug’s list price is £2,317.50 for one pack of 150mg tablets, excluding VAT.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.