Access to treatment
The EAMS started in April 2014. It aims to give people with life threatening or severely debilitating conditions access to medicines. Doctors can use the scheme when no other treatment is available for these conditions.
Usually, the licensing process for medicines makes sure:
they are safe
they work
the benefits outweigh any possible side effects
It can take many years for new medicines to go through the research and licensing process. After getting a licence, other organisations also need to approve the medicines. Only then can doctors prescribe them.
Medicines within the EAMS haven't gone through the full licensing process. They might still be part of ongoing research, or they may be waiting for a licence.
This means there may be some uncertainty about these medicines. Doctors do not yet know about all the benefits and risks. Early research suggests they may help people. But more information is needed about how well they work and their side effects.
Find out how cancer drugs are licensed in the UK
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) runs the EAMS. The MHRA is a UK government organisation. It checks that all medicines and equipment used in healthcare work and are safe.
To enter the scheme, a medicine must show promising results in early research. The medicine will usually have gone through phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials to look at its safety. It may also have gone through phase 3 trials.
Find out about the phases of clinical trials
The company who makes the medicine can apply for a Promising Innovative Medicine (PIM) designation. They do it through the MHRA. The company gives the MHRA the results of available research on the medicine.
The PIM gives an early indication that the medicine may be a possible choice for the EAMS scheme. It might be able to help people who have no other treatment options.
The next stage is the scientific opinion. During this process, the MHRA decides whether doctors can prescribe a medicine.
The scientific opinion looks at how well the medicine works. Including the risks and benefits. It is based on information collected from people having the medicine in clinical studies. This information helps doctors and patients make decisions about treatment.
A positive scientific opinion lasts for a year. The company can then apply to renew it.
If the scientific opinion is positive, the MHRA produces a public assessment report (PAR). This has information about:
how the medicine is used and how it works
summary of the key clinical studies
the risks and benefits of the medicine
the reason for the positive EAMS scientific opinion
any uncertainties
information about ongoing clinical studies
measures in place to check and manage risk
Look through the public assessment report (PAR) with your doctor. You can decide together if the treatment is the right choice for you.
See which medicines are available on the EAMS
Doctors can get information from the EAMS to support a decision to prescribe a medicine off label. Off label means that a doctor prescribes a drug that does not have a licence for the:
condition
age group
dose
Your doctor regularly shares information with the pharmaceutical company about your treatment. Your doctor must report side effects as part of the Early Access to Medicines Scheme. They may also report side effects to the MHRA through its safety monitoring systems.
The company that makes the medicine regularly shares information with the MHRA.
This includes:
reports of side effects
new information about how well the medicine works
The MHRA uses this information to continue monitoring the medicine's benefits and risks.
Your doctor will give the pharmaceutical company regular updates. These include the results of any tests and side effects you have. If you have any serious side effects, your doctor, nurse or pharmacist need to report them within 24 hours. They should report any other effects within 5 days. Your doctor will also report any side effects to the MHRA.
Your doctor will give you a Patient Alert Card. You should carry this card with you at all times. The card has information about the medicine you are taking and its known side effects. It usually has the contact details for your cancer doctor and specialist nurse.
There are only a small number of medicines that can be accessed through EAMS.
Talk to your doctor if you think that an EAMS medicine is suitable for you. If you want to have an EAMS medicine and your doctor agrees, your doctor applies to the manufacturer and your local NHS.
You might feel disappointed if you can’t have the treatment you would like. This can be very difficult to come to terms with. You might feel a range of emotions, including anger.
It can be helpful to talk to your specialist. Ask them whether there are other treatments you can have or if you can take part in a clinical trial.
You might be able to talk with other people who have tried to get the same treatment. It can be helpful to share experiences.
Last reviewed: 29 Sept 2026
Next review due: 29 Sept 2029
Sometimes there are treatments which aren’t available on the NHS. There are other ways you might be able to access a treatment that isn’t available on the NHS.
Drugs go through a review process. This ensures they're safe, effective, and that the benefits outweigh possible side effects.
Once a medicine has a licence, organisations will decide if it should be available as part of free healthcare.
The Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) is a way of funding cancer drugs in England.
There are several decisions to be made about a cancer treatment before you can have it on the NHS or HSC.
Search for the cancer type you want to find out about. Each section has detailed information about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, research and coping with cancer.
