Cancer Drugs Fund (UK)

The Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) in England was established in 2011 as a response to public pressure to fund access to cancer drugs that might not be reimbursed under standard technology assessment criteria. Originally intended as a temporary arrangement, it was revised and extended in 2016 to become a comprehensive managed access scheme for new cancer medicines, with clear entry and exit criteria. The CDF now accepts referrals from NICE committees undertaking single technology assessments where the evidence of effectiveness or cost-effectiveness is considered uncertain but will likely be resolved with further data collection (typically within two to three years). New data may come from ongoing trials or specific analyses of observational datasets, such as the UK cancer registry (SACT). Entry into the CDF necessitates a managed access agreement, which includes a commitment to provide this data for a subsequent NICE appraisal. This later assessment determines whether the drug will receive routine funding and, subsequently, leave the CDF. The 2016 revisions also included a commitment to accelerate the NICE appraisal process for cancer drugs, aiming for final guidance within 90 days of marketing authorisation.