30.08.11
Cancer drug divide in the UK
Patients in England and three times more likely to access new cancer drugs on the NHS than those in Scotland and five times more likely to access the drugs compared to patients living in Wales, new research shows.
The Rarer Cancers Foundation (RCF) looked at figures from Freedom of Information requests across health trusts and found that the existence of the Cancer Drugs Fund, only in England, which pays for treatment not recommended for general use by the NHS, is fundamental to drugs access.
Each year, 2,500 English patients access cancer drugs from this fund. In Scotland, only 74 people receive treatment from the same drugs. Out of all the treatment requests per million people, 14.25 were approved in Scotland, compared to 47.83 in England.
Andrew Wilson, RCF chief executive, said: “The Cancer Drugs Fund is great news for people in England and has benefited thousands of patients. However, a devastating divide has opened up with Scotland and Wales.
“A cancer drug does not become any less effective simply because it is prescribed on the other side of a border. Nor does a patient's need become any less pressing.”
A spokeswoman for the Scottish government said: “ Scotland has robust, equitable and transparent arrangements for the introduction of newly-licensed clinically and cost-effective medicines through the Scottish Medicines Consortium and Healthcare Improvement Scotland which operate independently from the Scottish government.
“These focus on equity of access to newly licensed drugs throughout Scotland, on the basis of their clinical and cost effectiveness. These arrangements include flexibility for additional factors to be taken into account in prescribing decisions, such as opportunities for local clinically-led consideration of SMC 'not recommended' medicines for individual patients in certain circumstances.”
Tell us what you think – have your say below, or email us directly at [email protected]