A British cancer patient has died and three others have been hospitalised after they were given unlicensed versions of chemotherapy by Sciensus, a company paid millions by the NHS to provide essential medication.
Three health regulators have launched inquiries into the incident, which Sciensus, the UK’s biggest private provider of homecare medicines services to not just the NHS but also private patients, said was related to an issue at its manufacturing unit, reports The Guardian.
The revelation follows a series of articles in The Guardian exposing how NHS patients have repeatedly been put at risk of harm by the botched provision of medicines by Sciensus.
The four patients received unlicensed versions of cabazitaxel, a licensed chemotherapy used to treat prostate cancer. Cabazitaxel blocks the growth of cancer and is typically administered via a drip into a patient’s bloodstream.
The versions administered to the patients differed from the licensed product and therefore were considered unlicensed medicines.
Sciensus is authorised to manufacture these by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which has launched an investigation into the incident.
Unlicensed medicines can be used to treat patients in certain circumstances. The incident affected only unlicensed versions of the chemotherapy that were manufactured by Sciensus to meet the individual needs of specific patients. There are no concerns with licensed cabazitaxel products.
Sciensus is required to comply with official standards to ensure the quality of the products it produces and the protection of public health. Breaches of these standards can result in the MHRA suspending or removing a company’s licence.
A spokesperson for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said: “We are aware of these extremely serious incidents and are working closely with the General Pharmaceutical Council and Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency who have oversight of the regulation of medicines delivery and safety.”
The CQC regulates some parts of the services provided by Sciensus, but other aspects are regulated by other agencies, including the MHRA and the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
Sciensus delivers and administers vital medicines and medical items to about 200 000 patients with complex conditions including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dementia and HIV.
In April, a Guardian investigation revealed serious and significant concerns of patients, clinicians and health groups about Sciensus. Subsequent articles have exposed how sick children and adults have suffered avoidable harm as a result of failings by the company.
In May, The Guardian disclosed that the chief executive of Sciensus was warned three years ago that the company was putting patients at risk.
Darryn Gibson was told in 2020 that patients were being left dangerously exposed to internal bleeding with little or no treatment at home as a result of missing, incomplete or inaccurate deliveries.
In June, the House of Lords public services committee began a formal inquiry into private health companies providing homecare medicines services. The inquiry is continuing.
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