Scottish Conservatives pledge £10m for cancer drugs

Scottish Conservatives are today committing up to £10m of NHS spending for a Scottish Cancer Drugs Fund. This proposal mirrors action taken by the UK Government to provide up to £200m per year for England and Wales, to increase access to cancer drugs recommended by doctors.

The pledge follows revelations that there are at least 18 cancer drugs available to patients in England and Wales, which are not available in Scotland.

Murdo Fraser MSP, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing, said:

"Individuals across Scotland who suffer from cancer should not be put in a worse position by the Scottish Government than their counterparts south of the border. 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 the Scottish Government now took similar action.

"That is why we 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."

1) Scottish Conservatives have opposed the scrapping of prescription charges for those who can afford to pay. This will free up £37m of NHS funding, up to £10m of which we have earmarked for a Scottish Cancer Drugs Fund.

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