Bristol Evening Post (KC) 02-Jul-08
From Kidney Cancer Resource
To Go To Bristol Evening Post (KC)
BRISTOL CANCER PATIENT: HEALTH BOSSES ARE 'STEALING MY LIFE'
A cancer patient from Bristol was today due to plead with health bosses to give him the wonder- drug they have so far refused to prescribe.
Gary Humphries, from Knowle, south Bristol, has been told he has just months to live unless he is given Sutent, which could extend his life by two-and-a-half years or longer.
The 55-year-old special needs school teaching assistant will appeal to a Primary Care Trust exceptional funding panel for it to overturn the decision and give him the drug that kidney cancer sufferers in other parts of the country are already being prescribed.
Gary Humphries & his wife
Mr Humphries, who has one child, said he felt officials were "stealing part of his life" by not allowing him to be treated using the drug - and fears that without it, he will not live long enough to see any grandchildren born.
He said: "This whole process has stripped me of my dignity. I'm a grown man and I am having to grovel and beg for treatment that would prolong my life.
"The average life expectancy after diagnosis is nine months, but with Sutent there is solid evidence it could give me two-and-a-half years of life. There is a chance that during that time my tumour would shrink and could possibly even be operated on. I feel the PCT has stolen part of my life. I fear I will not live long enough to see any grandchildren be born."
The drug can reduce the size of tumours by about 40 per cent, but it does not have approval from the National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence (Nice). That means there is a "postcode lottery" for patients with the disease because PCTs can chose whether or not to fund it.
Mr Humphries was diagnosed on March 27 and was told surgeons would not operate because his tumour had ruptured, which would make the procedure too high-risk.
Two months later, the Bristol PCT panel that decides whether patients should be given drugs not usually prescribed turned him down.
Today's meeting is his last chance to persuade the board that they should pay for the treatment.
He said: "Sutent is licensed by Nice and is in use by many PCTs, but hasn't got the official Nice rubber stamp yet, which means the trust does not have to fund it.
"It means there is no treatment for me - I sit back and wait to die.
"If I lived in Birmingham, Manchester or Liverpool, I would be given the drug."
On Monday, Health Secretary Alan Johnson announced a massive overhaul of the NHS, including plans to cut the time it takes Nice to approve a drug from three years to three months.
Kerry McCarthy, Bristol East MP, said: "I have every sympathy with him, not only for his illness but because he is having to go through these battles. I will do everything I can to assist him." Bristol PCT Consultant in Public Health, Dr Angela Raffle, said the trust understood how difficult it was for patients. She said: "Unfortunately for very expensive drugs, if they are proven to only provide a small benefit we have to prioritise other treatments that can help more people."
To view the original article Click Here
Disclaimer
Kidney Cancer Resource (KCR) is not influenced by sponsors. The information contained herein is not intended as a substitute for the advice of an appropriately qualified and licensed physician or other licensed health care provider. The information provided here is for educational and information purposes only. Early accurate Diagnosis (Dx.) saves lives. Please check with a physician if you suspect you are ill, never ignore Symptoms. To help your health care specialist make an accurate Diagnosis please keep notes of dates, times and details of your Symptoms. We are not offering medical advice nor do we consider links, individuals or articles accessed through this site to be offering medical advice.
E&OE - Errors & Omissions Excepted
As much of the information posted on this Web Site for peoples convenience is of a medical or technical nature, and may be a matter of life or death the E&OE is a Disclaimer showing that to the best of our ability information is accurate and correctly written or transcribed. Before acting on information on this site you are responsible for checking it with your relevant medical team. We can not be held responsible for any Errors & Omissions made; nor for information on links and articles provided in good faith.
