Focus on cancer drugs inequity

Cancer Focus NI has welcomed the Health Committee’s commitment to investigate why a UK-wide deal between Government and industry isn’t delivering equal access to cancer drugs.

At its first scheduled meeting after Summer recess, the Assembly’s Health Committee agreed to call officials from the Department of Health and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry to give evidence on the availability of cancer medicines in Northern Ireland.

Welcoming the Committee move, Cancer Focus NI Chief Executive Roisin Foster said: “Cancer Focus NI, along with 14 other charities launched the Equal Access Campaign to highlight the gross inequity that exists for cancer patients in Northern Ireland. There are now 40 drugs that are not readily available to cancer patients locally, but that are freely available to patients living in England.

“We very much welcome the Health Committee’s support, particularly their forthcoming investigation into whether the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme is an avenue that would give much needed access to these drugs in Northern Ireland, with little or no extra cost to the Health Department.

“We would also welcome clarification from the Health Minister on the status of the Review into the Individual Funding Request mechanism that he announced in early May.”

To show your support for Cancer Focus NI’s Equal Access campaign visit www.equalaccessni.org.