The drug, reviewed by NICE's rapid assessment panel, will be reassessed in a year's time, by which time further trials of Relenza will have been completed. NICE had asked GW for information on the drug, which would be impossible to provide until it was in regular use. He warned, 'If the government continues to make the environment antagonistic to this industry then obviously it will start to move elsewhere'. The Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry said NICE had 'bungled' its handling of Relenza and this had damaged the credibility of NICE in the UK and overseas. GW has since stated that it wants to see the drug licensed for the prevention as well as the treatment of flu.
Some health authorities are willing to pay for it whilst others consider it too expensive.
The situation is typical of the kind of problem which NICE was set up to address. Mr Milburn said, 'there is too much of a lottery at present, especially when it comes to getting cancer-fighting drugs. Cancer care should not depend on where you live'. Another potential controversy has, however, been avoided. The drug is available in thirty-eight other countries, but is not provided by the state in any of them.