To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ask the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to assess the benefits of prescribing Dasatinib (Sprycel) for chronic myeloid leukaemia; and if he will make a statement. (147413)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he intends to refer Dasatinib, a drug for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia, to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to seek its approval. (147933)

[holding answer 3 July 2007]: Dasatinib (Sprycel) is licensed for the treatment of adults with chronic, accelerated or blast phase chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) with resistance or intolerance to prior therapy including imatinib. Dasatinib is also licensed for the treatment of adults with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and lymphoid blast CML with resistance or intolerance to prior therapy. The Department has no plans to refer Dasatinib to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for appraisal at this time but the drug may be considered for referral to NICE in the future.