A drug company has been accused of trying to block trials aimed at promoting a ‘ cheap , safe and effective ’ treatment for sight loss on the NHS . It has ‘ bullied ’ experts who have tried to prove that a cancer drug can be used to treat one of the most common forms of blindness , according to the BMJ . The respected medical journal says Avastin is just as effective at tackling wet age-related macular degeneration ( AMD ) as the current treatment , Lucentis . Drug company Novartis has been accused of trying to block trials aimed at promoting a ‘ cheap , safe and effective ’ treatment for sight loss which would save the NHS around £102million a year . Avastin is much cheaper and it is estimated that widespread use of the drug would save the NHS around £102million a year . But the BMJ says the drug company has consistently tried to ‘ undermine and divert attention ’ from trials to prove Avastin works – even turning to the Royal National Institute of Blind People ( RNIB ) for help . Wet AMD is the most common form of blindness in people over 50 . Findings from clinical trials suggest Avastin is safe and effective in treating AMD – but it costs £70 per treatment compared with £740 for an injection of Lucentis . Novartis , which markets Lucentis in the UK , has allegedly tried to ‘ do everything ’ it can to stop trials of the cancer drug . The BMJ obtained emails under a freedom of information request showing that clinicians with ties to Novartis had urged some primary care trusts to pull out of one Avastin trial , while efforts were made to ‘ derail ’ a second publicly funded UK trial . The trial ’ s chief investigator , Alex Foss , a consultant ophthalmologist at Queen ’ s Medical Centre , Nottingham , told the BMJ how , during the planning stage , a Novartis representative tried to divert him to Novartis funded work – with the prospect of future funds for personal research projects . The BMJ says drug company Novartis ( pictured ) has consistently tried to ‘ undermine and divert attention ’ from trials to prove Avastin works – even turning to the Royal National Institute of Blind People for help . Dr Foss said : ‘ He stated Novartis would do everything to stop the trial and challenge its ethics . He stated the challenge would not come from Novartis itself but from the RNIB. ’ Dr Foss said the Novartis representative , whom he met in a pub , had funded an RNIB campaign to get Lucentis made available to patients before approval by the NHS watchdog . BMJ editor in chief , Dr Fiona Godlee , said the new evidence ‘ raises questions about the legal and regulatory positions that have skewed clinical practice , fuelled NHS drug costs , and left doctors confused about what they can and can ’ t prescribe ’ . Loss of vision that develops with age , known as age-related macular degeneration , is the most common cause of blindness in people over 50 . Most AMD starts as a ‘ dry ’ form but for one in five it progresses to the more severe , but treatable form of wet AMD . AMD robs people of the central vision necessary for reading , driving or simply recognising people ’ s faces . Wet AMD is caused by abnormal growth of blood vessels around the eye . It can be treated by using drugs to stop the growth of a natural protein called vascular endothelial growth factor , which prevents the formation of new blood vessels . Research suggests the number of Britons with AMD will rise by a quarter in the next decade , up from 600,000 at present to 750,000 . She said : ‘ Doctors and academics have carried out clinical trials despite threats and intimidation – and doctors leaders should follow suit and not allow themselves to be bullied either . ‘ Doctors ’ leaders also need to sort out the web of misinformation about drug prescribing that has been generated behind closed doors and is costing the NHS hundreds of millions of pounds a year by scaring doctors from using cheap and effective medicines. ’ The RNIB told the BMJ that last year only 0.3 per cent of its total income was from drug companies . A spokesman said : ‘ We stand by our decision to challenge the trial , which was motivated entirely by our aim to protect patients ’ right to timely sight-saving treatment. ’ A Novartis spokesman said : ‘ Novartis does not tolerate unethical behaviour by its associates in any country , and has a comprehensive compliance programme in place to help ensure that our associates comply with the company ’ s code of conduct and all applicable laws . ‘ Novartis strongly believes that patients have the right to the highest standard of care and that this right should be defended to promote safety and quality . ’
doctors were accused of trying to block trials aimed at promoting a ' cheap , safe and effective ' treatment for sight loss on the NHS . It ' bullied ' experts who tried to prove drug could be used to treat cancer . Avastin is effective at tackling wet age - related macular degeneration . Cheaper than the current trial it could save NHS £ 102million a year .