News Details

ASCO Requests CMS to Recognize NCCN Compendium

Recommends NCCN’s Drugs and Biologics Compendium to CMS as Resource for Off-Label Anti-Cancer Therapy

JENKINTOWN, Pa., July 18, 2006 — The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the world’s leading professional organization representing physicians of all oncology subspecialties who care for people with cancer, has asked the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to recognize the NCCN Drugs and Biologics Compendium™ as one of the publications used for Medicare coverage of drugs used off-label in anti-cancer therapy. The letter of request written by ASCO is consistent with similar support from six other major national medical organizations.

CMS is required to cover off-label drug uses that have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as long as those are included in specified compendia. CMS is also empowered to select compendia through the Department of Health and Human Services. In their formal request, ASCO asked CMS to add the NCCN Compendium to the existing list of mandated compendium publications.

By doing so, CMS would have a reference that reflects the standard of care for oncology in both office-based and hospital-based practice. The NCCN Compendium is based entirely upon recommendations from the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology™—treatment algorithms created and updated continuously.

ASCO cited several supporting reasons for their request, including the Compendium’s close association with the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology, the Compendium’s clear and specific recommendations, and the Compendium’s structure enabling timely recommendations based on expert review.