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NHS Rolls Out Faster Keytruda Jab for 14 Cancers
The ready-to-use shot could save more than 100,000 clinical hours a year and let thousands of patients spend less time in hospital, NHS England said.
The NHS has begun rolling out a one-minute injectable immunotherapy for more than a dozen cancers, with early patients including 89-year-old Shirley Xerxes receiving treatment at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre in Hertfordshire.
Previously, immunotherapy treatment required IV drips lasting up to 45 minutes using about 100mls of fluid; the new formulation slashes administration time by up to 90% and cuts staff preparation time by 44%.
Around 14,000 patients start Pembrolizumab therapy annually in England, with most expected to switch to injections given every three or six weeks depending on cancer type.
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS national clinical director for cancer, called the immunotherapy a "lifeline for thousands of patients," while Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said it offers "quicker, more convenient care."
Reducing treatment time frees up vital appointments for NHS teams, enabling them to treat more patients and continue bringing down waiting times across oncology services.