NCCN Announces the NCCN Drugs and Biologics Compendium™

JENKINTOWN, PA, August 2, 2004 - The National Comprehensive Cancer Network announces an important new publication and source of information to guide the selection of appropriate treatment for patients. The first edition of the NCCN Drugs and Biologics Compendium™ will be available on October 1, 2004.

“A variety of constituencies in the health care community look to NCCN for evaluative information to aid their decision-making. NCCN again is responding to these needs by providing evaluative data in an easy-to-use format,” said William T. McGivney, PhD, CEO of the NCCN. “One target audience for the NCCN Drugs and Biologics Compendium comprises decision-makers at insurance/managed care companies, PBMs, etc. who seek authoritative and definitive information to establish coverage policies. In cancer care, the issue of the appropriateness of use beyond FDA approved labeling is critical and is addressed extensively by the Compendium.”

“Authoritative sources of information, such as the NCCN, are important to managed care companies and insurers as we seek to establish policies that provide members with access to the appropriate treatments. The NCCN Drugs and Biologics Compendium is an example of an information source important to our decision-making process,” said James Cross, MD, National Medical Director for Medical Policy Administration at Aetna, Inc.

The NCCN Drugs and Biologics Compendium will delineate the appropriate uses of drugs and biologics in the care of cancer patients. The Compendium’s identified uses will be derived directly from the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology™, the recognized standard for clinical policy in oncology. As with the guidelines, the Compendium will span the continuum of cancer care from early stage to advanced stage disease, from supportive care to palliative care. The Compendium will be made available free of charge in user-friendly electronic and paper formats.

The Compendium lists disease indications and specific recommendations for use as described in the NCCN Guidelines. The end-user will also be provided the recommendation category that defines the level of evidence and degree of consensus that supports the recommendation. The Compendium will be published “chapter by chapter” with the first chapter, “Colon, Rectal, and Anal Cancers,” scheduled for release in October.

For more information on the NCCN Drugs and Biologics Compendium and other NCCN programs, please contact NCCN at 215-690-0255 or at www.nccn.org.