Keep in mind that Avastin is used for late-stage cancers.
People should be able to do pretty much whatever they want to try to live when they have such an advanced disease.
The government changing the label and thus how it can be prescribed (and thereby setting doctors up for malpractice suits if they prescribe it off-label), IS NOTHING MORE THAN RATIONING. And because they are rationing a drug to prolong life, THOSE WHO RATION ARE THE DEATH PANELS.
This is a recommendation only, although it could effect insurance. It doesn't prevent doctors from prescribing the medicine, or people from buying it.
Certainly being near death doesn't grant people carte blanche to take any medications they want paid for by their insurance companies, regardless of whether those drugs are any benefit.
That is a contract between a person and the insurance they purchase, and government shouldn't be interfering in that contract.
This is a good point. Either the patient will be healed, or the patient will die. Either way, the cost will not have to be sustained indefinitely. Sounds like the decision to deny funding of the treatment is 'penny wise, but pound foolish'.
Avastin is also used for Macular Degeneration of the eyes.
In UK their policy was to approve it only after a person went blind in one eye.
Coming here soon....