Cancer drugs: approval should mean treatment

1.35.28pm GMT Fri 3rd Nov 2006

Cancer drugs: approval should mean treatment

Commenting on reports today that many prostate cancer sufferers in Wales are struggling to be prescribed Taxotere, a NICE approved drug, Jenny Randerson, Welsh Liberal Democrats Health Spokesperson said

"Once NICE has approved a drug then it should be provided as the process also takes the economics into account. It is unfair on patients who have their expectations raised by a NICE decision to have their hopes dashed like this.

"If the Government wants to avoid a postcode lottery, they need to make sure that local bodies have the money needed to pay for these treatments.

"It would be particularly worrying if prostate cancer sufferers were losing out simply because their cancer has a lower profile. These decisions need to be made in a fair and consistent way, not according to which campaigning group shouts the loudest."