Family calls for NHS England access to Enhertu after woman dies of breast cancer at 32
核心洞察
The family of Fionnuala Quinlan-Bennett, who died of breast cancer (搜索) at age 32, is urging NHS England (搜索) to fund the life-extending drug Enhertu.
Breast Cancer Now (搜索) estimates that making Enhertu available could help roughly 1,000 women in England, while the drug is already accessible in Scotland and other countries.
NICE previously deemed Enhertu not cost-effective at the company's offered price but has resumed discussions following a new, higher cost-effectiveness threshold tied to the December 2025 US-UK trade deal.
The family of a woman who died from breast cancer (搜索) at age 32 is calling for the life-extending treatment Enhertu to be made available on the NHS in England. Fionnuala Quinlan-Bennett, from Crawley in West Sussex, died in June after being told the disease had spread to her bones and liver. Her family say the drug, which is available in Scotland and several other countries, could have given her more time.
Her husband, Nathan Bennett, said it had been difficult for his wife to know a treatment existed which she could not access. "Her exact words were, 'It's painful knowing that this drug is available and out there, but not available to me'," he said.
Before her death, Fionnuala had asked family and friends to honour her memory by embracing life, saying there were still children to teach, countries to explore and books to read. "If you want to honour my memory, go out into the world with a smile on your face and make a difference," she said.
What is Enhertu?
Enhertu is a combination of a targeted therapy drug called a monoclonal antibody and a chemotherapy drug called deruxtecan (搜索), according to Macmillan cancer support. The treatment is already available in Scotland and several other countries, but has not been funded for use on the NHS in England.
Cancer charity Breast Cancer Now (搜索) said making Enhertu available could help about 1,000 women in England. Holly Heath, head of policy and evidence at Breast Cancer Now, said: "There is still an opportunity for this drug to become available on the NHS so no-one else misses out on the chance to extend their lives. This group of women don't have time to wait. We need a sense of urgency, we need pace and we need a deal to be done now."
Why access has been delayed
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) previously concluded that the treatment was not cost-effective at the price offered by the company. A NICE spokesperson said: "In 2024, we concluded that, at the price offered by the company, the treatment was not cost effective, as the cost was too high relative to the benefits it would provide to patients."
However, the situation has shifted following the US-UK trade deal announced in December 2025. The spokesperson added: "However, following the US-UK trade deal announced in December 2025, NICE is now applying a new, higher threshold for cost-effectiveness decisions. In light of these changed circumstances, discussions between NICE, the company, and NHS England (搜索) have resumed, with the aim of reaching a commercial agreement that would make Enhertu available."
The resumption of talks signals a renewed possibility that Enhertu could become accessible to patients in England, though no agreement has yet been finalised.