Could the new sickle cell disease treatment be cost-effective enough to stay?

A recent move by NICE (London, UK) has led to the availability of a new therapy for sickle cell disease on the NHS. Crizanlizumab – otherwise known as Adakveo® – is created by Novartis (Basel, Switzerland). NICE has recommended the drug for individuals aged 16 years or over to curb the incidence of sickle cell crisis. The disorder affects red blood cells by changing them to appear sickle-like, increasing the likelihood of clumping and blocked vessels. Such events, termed vaso-occlusive or sickle cell crises, can restrict blood flow and cause pain. The frequency of these crises, the recovery time and...