Charities appeal Tecartus NHS watchdog decision to restore CAR‑T treatment
Introduction: Why the Tecartus NHS watchdog decision matters
The decision by the NHS spending watchdog to withdraw Tecartus from services in England and Wales has prompted a formal appeal from leading blood cancer charities. The issue is significant because Tecartus is a CAR‑T cell therapy used for people with mantle cell lymphoma whose disease has relapsed or not responded to prior treatments. For some patients, clinicians and advocates describe the therapy as a ‘‘last hope’’, making the watchdog’s decision immediately relevant to care, outcomes and access to potentially life‑saving treatment.
Main body: Appeals, concerns and voices
Who has lodged the appeal?
Blood Cancer UK, Lymphoma Action and the stem cell charity Anthony Nolan have formally challenged the NHS spending watchdog’s decision to remove Tecartus from routine NHS use. The appeal was lodged after the watchdog concluded that Tecartus should no longer be funded on the health service, a move that charities say leaves some patients with very limited alternatives.
Concerns from patient groups and clinicians
Charities and specialist clinicians have voiced strong concerns about the impact of the withdrawal. Dr Rubina Ahmed, director of research, policy and services at Blood Cancer UK, emphasised the therapy’s role for certain patients: “For some people with mantle cell lymphoma, whose cancer has come back or hasn’t responded to previous treatment, this CAR T‑cell therapy offers a last hope of a cure.”
Dr Ahmed added that the removal of the only CAR‑T therapy available for this patient group is “incredibly troubling and a backward step for NHS care,” and urged both NICE and the manufacturer to find a solution so people with relapsed mantle cell lymphoma do not lose access to the treatment.
Conclusion: Implications and next steps
The appeal seeks to reverse or modify the NHS spending watchdog decision to ensure continued access to Tecartus for eligible patients. If the appeal succeeds, patients who have exhausted other options could retain access to CAR‑T therapy through the NHS. If it does not, charities warn that people with relapsed mantle cell lymphoma will face a narrower set of options and potentially reduced chances of long‑term remission. For now, the dispute underscores wider debates about access to high‑cost, specialist cancer therapies and the balance between clinical benefit, affordability and equitable NHS provision.
