Outrage as cancer treatment is denied again
Garford Gaskin's hope was shattered when told his appeal for the NHS to pay for a drug that slows the growth of tumours had been turned down.
The drug, Alimta, helps mesothelioma sufferers like Mr Gaskin by relieving breathlessness, chest pain, persistent cough and loss of appetite.
Mr Gaskin, 67, of Clinton Street, Chaddesden, was diagnosed two years ago. The disease stems from his work at British Rail four decades ago.
He said: “It's getting quite painful now as all the tumours are growing and my breathing is getting worse. A Government firm gave me the disease and now it's the Government stopping me getting treatment for it, so I do feel a bit resentful.”
Derby City Primary Care Trust would not pay for the drug because it was not licensed for people like Mr Gaskin who had had chemotherapy. However, it said it would pay in “exceptional circumstances” but the appeal decided he was not such a case.
Joanne Carlin, of Derbyshire Asbestos Support Team, who accompanied Mr Gaskin to the appeal, called the decision “totally unfair”. She said: “There is research out there to say it is effective for people who have already had chemotherapy. And we are flabbergasted that Mr Gaskin has been denied it at such a young age.”
In January, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) said the NHS should pay for Alimta for mesothelioma patients but only for those who had not previously had chemotherapy because that was the only group on which trials had been carried out. It was left up to the local primary care trust to decide whether to pay for it for chemotherapy patients.
When the primary care trust initially turned down a request for the drug from Mr Gaskin's consultant, it said: “In order for funding to be agreed, there must be some unusual or unique clinical factor about the patient.”
It said this would be if his case was significantly different to others and was likely to benefit more from treatment than the average patient.
But Lilly UK, which makes Alimta, argues Mr Gaskin's situation is unusual because he had to have other drugs at first because Alimta was not available when he was diagnosed.
A spokesman for Lilly UK said: “This situation highlights the need for NICE to speed up its review process of medicines. The three-year delay in issuing appropriate guidance for England and Wales in the first instance has led to this unjust situation for a patient in exceptional circumstances.”
Mr Gaskin has been told he can pay for the drug at a cost of up to £3,000 but would have to go private for further treatment.
In a statement to the Evening Telegraph, Derby City Primary Care Trust said its appeal process was “thorough” and involved a panel of people who were not involved in the original decision.
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