The Final Appraisal Determination from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has reported that Xiapex (Collagenase clostridium histolyticum) should only be used in the context of research for treating Dupuytren’s contracture.
This decision we are sure will be appealed as there is so much patient and doctor satisfaction with Xiapex as a treatment.
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Personally I am very disappointed by this decision and concerned that it will restrict NHS patients’ access to Xiapex, an effective non surgical therapy for Dupuytren’s contracture.
As responsible clinicians we want to see advances in treatments to minimise trauma to our patients, allow them to return to work and their normal lifestyles as fast as possible. This decision we feel put us back in our aims. We appreciate that not all Dupuytren’s patients are suitable for Xiapex and would need surgery, but at least two thirds would benefit significantly from non invasive injection therapy.