Enhertu Now - We did it!
Enhertu for HER2-low metastatic breast cancer is a drug that could extend thousands of lives. In 2024, it was rejected for use on the NHS for being too expensive. But after more than 2 years of relentless campaigning alongside our supporters, METUPUK and Make 2nds Count, Enhertu will finally be made available to people on the NHS in England.
What we achieved together
Over the course of the campaign, we launched two petitions, supported an Early Day Motion (EDM) and held a stunt in London’s Trafalgar Square, calling on NICE, NHS England and the drug companies to reach a deal to make Enhertu available.
Together, our two petitions gathered more than 385,000 signatures, while 65 MPs backed the EDM. This helped build the sustained pressure that was critical to securing a deal.
Thank you everybody who added their name, contacted their MPs, took part in the stunt or shared the campaign. We couldn’t have done this without you.
It’s hard to express how pleased I am to see Enhertu finally approved for use on the NHS today. This decision brings a renewed sense of hope, not only for me but for thousands of other women living with incurable HER2-low metastatic cancer. Hope of more precious time with our loved ones, hope I may still be here to support my 9 year old daughter into high school.
Access to Enhertu for HER2-low metastatic breast cancer
Who can access Enhertu?
After the announcement that Enhertu was approved for HER2-low metastatic breast cancer, NHS England published their access criteria.
The criteria include a rule that people are only eligible to receive Enhertu if they have had one or two prior lines of chemotherapy for their metastatic breast cancer. People who have had three or more lines of chemotherapy can’t currently access Enhertu.
How was this decision made?
The decision is based on the recruitment criteria for the trial of Enhertu in HER2-low metastatic breast cancer (Destiny Breast 04). Patients who were recruited had received either one or two lines of chemotherapy, but not more. So, the evidence of Enhertu’s effectiveness is based on that specific group of people.
What do we think?
Many of the people affected have gone through multiple lines of chemo because of the failure to approve Enhertu more quickly. NHS England, the pharmaceutical companies and NICE all share responsibility for the delays that have put us in this position, and they share responsibility for finding a way forward to make sure that everyone who could benefit can access this treatment. They need to act now.
There is nothing in the licence for the drug, or the NICE recommendation that says it can only be used in people who have had one or two lines of chemo. We think the criteria that have been set are unacceptably restrictive and not in line with European guidance published by the European Society for Medical Oncology.
What are we doing about it?
We have joined forces again with METUPUK and Make 2nds Count to write to NHS England and call for an urgent solution. We want them to either:
revise the criteria so that people will be eligible for Enhertu after one or more lines of chemotherapy,
or, put in place a pathway so that people in this position can get exceptional access to the drug.
We’ve also written to the pharmaceutical companies (Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca) to ask them to put in place a compassionate access pathway for those impacted.
What about Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland?
Enhertu for HER2-low metastatic breast cancer was approved for use on the NHS in Scotland in December 2023.
Enhertu is also now available to patients in Northern Ireland and we've heard from the drug companies that funding for Enhertu is now available in Wales. We're now following up with the government there for official confirmation.
Help us fix the system
We’re determined to keep pushing for everyone with metastatic breast cancer to get the best possible treatment, as quickly as possible, wherever they live.
That’s why we’ll continue calling on the government, NICE, NHS England and the pharmaceutical industry to work together to fix this broken system and make sure this never happens again.
Sign up for campaign updates to find out how you can help.