The MDS Beacon™

U.K. Agency Does Not Recommend Vidaza For MDS Patients – The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE), the agency that decides which treatments will be funded for patients in England and Wales, released a final draft guidance on March 3 recommending that Vidaza (azacitidine) not be used to treat MDS. Although Vidaza may extend survival by nine months compared to standard therapy for MDS, NICE concluded that due to the drug’s high cost it cannot be recommended as a cost-effective treatment. The final guidance deciding the use of Vidaza in the U.K. will be released in May. Celgene, the company that produces Vidaza, has stated it will appeal the NICE decision. The European Medicines Agency approved Vidaza for treatment of MDS in March 2009. For more information, see the NICE Web site and related Beacon news.

How to Understand Your Lab Results And What They Mean – The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is sponsoring an event to help blood cancer patients understand their blood test results. Dr. Thomas Butler will be leading the discussion on March 17 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, VA. This event is free, and light refreshments will be served. To attend, please register through the LLS by March 15.

MDS Webinar: Treating Lower-Risk MDS – The Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation (AA&MDSIF) is sponsoring a webinar, including lecture and case studies, to present current treatment options for lower-risk MDS patients. Dr. Mikkael Sekeres of the Cleveland Clinic will explain the differences between higher-risk and lower-risk MDS, review the factors that influence specific treatment decisions, and discuss treatments that are under development. The webinar will be held on Thursday, March 18 beginning at 3 p.m. EST. For more information or to register, please see the AA&MDSIF Web site.

For a more detailed listing of MDS-related events, please check the MDS Beacon Events Calendar.