Grandmother must move to England to get cancer drug

A GRANDMOTHER has told how she is moving to England to access a cancer drug denied her on the NHS in Scotland.

Maureen Fleming, 63, has been refused treatment with cetuximab despite backing from her consultant who said the drug would help stop the spread of her bowel cancer.

She and her husband, Ian, 65, are now planning to move to Newcastle-upon-Tyne, after being told by doctors she would receive the drug free on the NHS there.

The couple, from Bonhill, West Dunbartonshire, watched from the public gallery at Holyrood yesterday as her case was highlighted at First Minister’s Questions.

During clashes in the chamber, Johann Lamont, the Scottish Labour leader, told Alex Salmond that Scotland was “in danger of exporting health refugees”.

Later, retired secretary Mrs Fleming told how her doctor had first requested cetuximab – which is not routinely available in Scotland – nine months ago. The plea, under the NHS’s Individual Patient Treatment Request System, was turned down by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and two appeals failed.

The Flemings, who have three grown-up children and 10 grandchildren, said they faced a dilemma of trying to raise more than £10,000 for a three-month course of treatment or moving to Newcastle. Mr Fleming, a retired shipyard worker, said it was “a probability” that they would move out of the home where they have stayed for 27 years to prolong his wife’s life.

Mrs Fleming, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer six years ago and has been treated with three different drugs to date, said: “We feel it is unfair. We have lived here all our lives, contributed all our lives and now we are having to think of relocating. It’s stressful. When you feel least ready for a fight that’s when it comes.”

Mr Fleming said: “We feel as if the NHS is letting us down. Maureen and I have contributed all our lives, we have worked since we were 15 years of age.”

Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie called for an overhaul of the individual patient treatment request system, which is operated by health boards.

She cited the case of bowel cancer patient Ian Morrison, from West Linton, in the Borders, who was given cetuximab earlier this year after an appeal to Lothians Health Board.

Ms Lamont said the Scottish NHS’s £7.2 million bill for paracetamol prescriptions would pay for 200 patients to get cetuximab for a year. She said: “In the First Minister’s Scotland, if you have a headache your prescription is free. If you have cancer, your prescription can cost £3000 a month.”

Mr Salmond said: “In these extraordinarily difficult circumstances we are trying to judge a position which gives the best treatment to the people of Scotland.”

In a statement, NHSGGC said: “This patient’s case has been reviewed on four separate occasions. Each review concluded there was insufficient evidence to support the prescription of cetuximab and that the criteria for approval were not met.”

Health Secretary Alex Neil said: “These situations are extremely difficult for patients and their families. Cetuximab is approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium in certain circumstances and patients wishing to access the drug in England still have to meet certain conditions.”

Source The Herald