Concerns over provision of life-prolonging medicine
MSPs demand clarity on drug inquiry findings
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MSPs have called for more “detail and clarity” on measures put in place to ensure people have the chance to secure life-prolonging drugs on the NHS.
The Scottish Parliament’s public petitions committee has agreed to raise the issue after Labour’s Bill Butler expressed concerns about whether the findings of a recent inquiry sparked by a north-east man’s case have been adopted in cancer care action plans.
Michael Gray, 53, of Buckie, who died of bowel and liver cancer in April, lodged a petition with the committee earlier this year after he had to raise £26,000 to pay for cetuximab which temporarily stabilised his condition.
NHS Grampian initially refused to pay for the drug and only relented after Mr Gray and his wife, Tina McGeever, raised the issue at Holyrood.
Public Health Minister Shona Robison said last month the government’s Better Cancer Care plan, an e-health strategy and the Scottish Medicines Consortium would “provide the basis” for taking forward the 16 recommendations in the committee’s report.
She said: “I underline that it is important that the recommendations are addressed as a whole and in a manner that demonstrates a coherent policy framework with a strategic plan for delivery.”
But Mr Butler said a lot of questions still needed to be answered.
“While there is passing reference to the issues highlighted in the committee’s report, there is not sufficient detail and clarity of what is happening now, how it is happening, when it is happening and by whom,” he added.
“I think the committee should write to the government, asking it to detail how each of the report conclusions has been addressed.”
Mr Butler said clarity was needed on how variations in provision of cancer drugs are monitored, what new guidance material will be produced and whether liaison officers need to be appointed to communicate between clinicians and patients.
Last month Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon pledged a review of the rules on patients paying for drugs privately while getting NHS treatment.
Dr Ken Paterson, chairman of the consortium, said four days later that the NHS should not be expected to fund expensive treatments that prolong people’s lives by weeks or months.
Ms McGeever condemned the remark.
