Cancer Drugs Fund for Scotland will help sufferers access the vital drugs needed

Today's Scotland on Sunday reports that the family of an eighteen year old boy, Jamie Marshall Macdonald, who is suffering from a rare type of bone cancer, have been forced to pay tens of thousands of pounds to access a life-prolonging drug – one which is available to cancer patients in England.

Scottish Conservatives want a £10 million Cancer Drugs Fund for Scotland, and have included this proposal in our manifesto (p.16).

Murdo Fraser, Scottish Conservative Health Spokesman, said:

"Sadly, Jamie's plight is not unique in Scotland. Scottish Conservatives believe that it is unacceptable there are expensive cancer drugs, recommended by doctors, available to patients in England and Wales, which are not available in Scotland.

"The action taken by the UK Government in setting up a Cancer Drugs Fund has been warmly received by cancer sufferers, their families and campaign groups in England and Wales. We believe it is time to take action in Scotland.

"That is why Scottish Conservatives are proposing a Scottish Cancer Drugs Fund of up to £10m per year to help provide the expensive drugs that prolong life.

"The SMC will continue to recommend NHS funding for drugs which are regarded as clinical and cost effective, but this additional funding will help cancer patients access the vital drugs their clinicians think they need.

"Scots cancer sufferers must be given all the help possible, not put in a worse position than their counterparts south of the border."

Please click on the link below to see the Scotland on Sunday story

http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/health/Family-forced-to-fund-lifesaving.6760470.jp

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