Local MEP: 'We must end Cancer treatment lottery.'

11.25.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 21st Aug 2008

Local MEP: 'We must end Cancer treatment lottery.'

Lib Dem MEP Liz Lynne today renewed her call for the government to end the postcode lottery over cancer treatment.

Her comments come after the Chief Executive of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), added his voice to the growing number of medical experts who wish to see an end to the horrendous current system whereby life saving treatment can be denied to a patient based simply on where they live.

Statistics released in 2007 show that the UK has one of the worst Cancer survival rates in Europe, with an average survival rate of 42% for men and 52% for women compared with an European average of 45% and 55% respectively. Some studies have put this down to the inequality in the distribution of cancer treatment..

Ms Lynne, who is Co- Chair of MEP's Against Cancer, has campaigned to see an end to this inhumane status quo for many years and said today:

'"The Chief Executive's comments serve to further highlight what is a crucial issue. It is barbaric that in modern day Britain seriously ill people have to fight to get the drugs that they are entitled to under the NHS.

"There needs to be uniformity, everyone should receive the best possible treatment available regardless whether they live in inner city Birmingham or rural Warwickshire.

"It saddens me that this cry has not already been heeded by the Labour government, but the simple fact is that logic, morality and the consensus of opinion dictate that change must come and soon."

ENDS

Notes:

There are currently no rules regarding what drugs individual Primary Care Trusts must buy, and different Trusts choose different priorities. This means that residents of one area may be entitled to newer, safer and more effective treatment than those in another.

Liz has commented on the need to end the postcode lottery on a number of important treatments including Breast Cancer and Multiple Sclerosis: http://www.lizlynne.org.uk/news/000475/postcode_lottery_in_local_breast_cancer_treatment_is_a_scandal__says_mep.html

And:

http://www.lizlynne.org.uk/news/000777/new_measures_must_be_implemented_to_help_people_with_multiple_sclerosis__liz_lynne.html

Andrew Dillon's comments came during a BBC Panorama programme which can be found at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/7563701.stm

Sources:

Cancer figures EU: http://www.eurocare.it/

Studies on treatment methods: www.scottish.parliament.uk/S3/committees/petitions/inquiries/cancerDrugs/1_Sikora.pdf