The NHS has introduced a rapid injectable form of pembrolizumab (Keytruda), an immunotherapy treatment that significantly reduces the time cancer patients spend in hospital. The new jab, which takes just one or two minutes to administer depending on the frequency, replaces the previous intravenous infusion method that could take up to two hours per session.
Key Takeaways
The NHS has introduced a rapid injectable form of pembrolizumab (Keytruda), reducing cancer treatment time from hours to minutes. This immunotherapy benefits thousands of patients annually by blocking the PD-1 protein, allowing the immune system to attack cancer cells.
- New jab cuts treatment time from up to two hours to one or two minutes
- Benefits 14,000+ patients annually across 14 types of cancer
- Saves NHS over 100,000 hours yearly and reduces waiting times
- Cost remains confidential but is comparable to the intravenous version
According to The Guardian, this innovation will benefit around 14,000 cancer patients annually in England who are already taking pembrolizumab. The treatment is effective for 14 different types of cancer, including lung, breast, head and neck, and cervical cancers. The NHS estimates that the new method will save over 100,000 hours of preparation and treatment time each year.
Prof Peter Johnson, the NHS national clinical director for cancer, highlighted the benefits: "This immunotherapy offers a lifeline for thousands of patients." He added that managing cancer treatment and regular hospital trips can be exhausting. The new rapid jab not only makes therapy much quicker but also frees up vital appointments for NHS teams to treat more people and continue to bring down waiting times.
Shirley Xerxes, an 89-year-old patient from St Albans, was one of the first to receive the new treatment. She expressed her gratitude, stating that she was in the chair "for a matter of minutes instead of an hour or more." This innovation gives patients more time to live their lives and reduces the burden on NHS resources.
The cost of the new jab remains confidential as per the deal with the US drug company Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), but it is understood that the NHS will pay around the same price for both versions. The patents protecting the original drug are set to expire in 2028 in the US and 2031 in Europe, which could lead to cheaper generic versions becoming available.
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