The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has accepted erlotinib (Tarceva®) for use within NHS Scotland for the first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activating mutations.

The drug advice (see link below) summarises the efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness data submitted by the company and considered by the Committee.  This notes that erlotinib has been shown to improve progression-free survival compared to platinum-based doublet chemotherapy in this setting; mature survival data are however awaited.   

The advice takes account of a Patient Access Scheme (PAS) that improves the cost-effectiveness of erlotinib, and it is therefore contingent upon its continuing availability in NHS Scotland.