Perspectives of commissioners and cancer specialists in prioritising new cancer drugs: impact of the evidence threshold

The provision of high quality cancer services is a major priority for the NHS.1 However, greater budgetary pressures are being placed on specialist hospitals and health authorities by several factors: Christie Hospital NHS Trust in Manchester provides specialist cancer care to a population of 4.5million people from North Wales to Cumbria. The trust's drug budget of £4 million accounted for 18% of the total income from patient services in...