Tag Archives: Cancer therapy

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Private cancer therapy ‘crowdfunding rise’

There has been a big leap in the number of cancer patients turning to crowdfunding to pay for treatments not available on the NHS, figures seen by BBC Radio 5 live suggest.

Data from JustGiving shows that 2,348 appeals were set up by cancer patients or their loved ones in 2016, a seven-fold rise on the number for 2015.

Over £4.5m was raised by these appeals in 2016 compared with £530,000 in 2015.

Doctors say the number of patients bypassing the NHS is “very worrying”.

‘Strength and generosity’

Liz Sheppard, a mother-of-three from Mansfield, was diagnosed with small cell stomach cancer – a rare form of the disease – in November 2015.

She has now raised over £135,000 online to help pay for immunotherapy, which she is receiving at a private centre in London.

She has already spent around £60,000 of the money on immunotherapy, and says she is responding well to the treatment.

She told the BBC: “I’m able to get out and lead as normal a life as possible. Certainly I’m not bedridden.

“If it wasn’t for people’s generosity and kindness, I wouldn’t be where I am now. It’s not something I could have self-funded. Without that money I wouldn’t be here. It means everything.

“I’m a mother. I look at my children every day and they keep me going.

“And the messages people leave when they make a donation can be motivating in themselves. You can draw a lot of strength from them.”

A spokesman for NHS England said: “More people than ever before are surviving cancer thanks to improved NHS care… and together with NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) we have also launched a new-look cancer drugs fund, meaning patients will be able to access promising, new and innovative treatments much quicker.”

According to the detailed figures released by the platform JustGiving, USA, Germany and Mexico topped the most popular destinations for patients travelling abroad for treatments last year.

More than a fifth of those looking for treatment (404 people) raised £1,393,490 in donations to travel to the United States for care.

Germany followed in second place with 142 people crowdfunding £368,530 (a 461% increase from 2015), whilst 23 people raised £69,660 to travel to Mexico for treatment (a 224% increase from 2015).

Immunotherapy was the most popular treatment crowdfunded on the JustGiving platform in 2016.

The therapy uses the body’s own immune system to fight off cancer. It has been shown to work in certain cases, but not all. And some are still in the very early stages of research.

The treatments people have funded are not always considered to have the backing of sufficient scientific evidence by NHS experts.

Charles Wells, chief operations officer for JustGiving, said: “Over the last 12 months, we’ve seen more and more people crowdfunding on JustGiving to raise money for cancer treatments that aren’t available on the NHS.

“It can be a practical way for friends, family and the community to come together and help, as well as providing a lifeline for people by giving them access to pioneering treatments when they’ve been given a cancer diagnosis.”

‘Funding pressures’

Consultant oncologist Dr Clive Peedell expressed concern about the rise in the number of patients bypassing the NHS to fund their own treatment.

He told BBC Radio 5 live: “The NHS is clearly financially under pressure at present, but cancer therapy has received preferential funding compared with other diseases and conditions.

“The system for approving effective new cancer drugs is not perfect, but is much improved.

“The vast majority of proven effective treatments for cancer are funded by the NHS.

“This includes immunotherapy for a number of indications including lung cancer, which is my own field.

“However, funding pressures are likely to pressurise the current system even further and we could see it break down in future.

“It is therefore very worrying to see this trend of crowdfunding for cancer drugs.

“It would be interesting to review all the cases to find out how many are genuinely appropriate.

“I worry that some patients may be trying to access treatment that may not be beneficial.

“Worse still, there may be significant extra costs involved, especially if patients pay privately or travel abroad.”

The NHS England spokesman said it was investing £130m in state-of-the-art radiotherapy equipment, alongside £200m of funding over two years to improve local cancer services.

Source BBC News

 

NHS patients to get new MS drug: Treatment not only stops the disease from advancing but may help patients recover from disability

A new treatment for Multiple Sclerosis not only stops the disease from advancing but may help patients recover from disability.

Remarkable results for the drug alemtuzumab mean it has been approved for use on the NHS and is now available in England.

Originally a pioneering cancer therapy, Cambridge University scientists have spent almost 25 years developing it as a treatment for MS sufferers.

Trials involving more than 1,500 patients show treatment led to fewer relapses compared with multiple jabs of the treatment beta interferon each week, cutting further disability and even allowing some existing damage to recover.

Alemtuzumab is given in two short courses with one infusion a day for five days during the first year and three days during the second year followed by regular monitoring.

Despite the £56,000 price tag, the drug has got the go-ahead as cost-effective from the rationing watchdog the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice).

Professor Alastair Compston, Professor of Neurology and the Head of the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Cambridge, said the drug worked in the early stages of MS, but did not help patients with advanced disease (to subs must keep).

Multiple Sclerosis affects almost 100,000 Britons, causing attacks or relapses that may lead to progressive loss of physical skills, sensation, vision, bladder control, and intellectual abilities.

About 2,500 people are diagnosed each year, with four out of five having relapsing-remitting MS – many of them in their 20s and 30s.

Prof Compston said more than half of patients with this type of MS could benefit.

He said ‘This is a real step forward and brings to a conclusion work involving a number of research groups in Cambridge, stretching back to 1991.

‘The decision from Nice now provides an opportunity for neurologists to offer a highly effective therapy for patients with multiple sclerosis early in the course of their illness.’

Alemtuzumab, marketed as Lemtrada by makers Genzyme (must credit), was being used in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia when Prof Compston identified its potential for treating MS.

Patients take the treatment, which took 25 years to develop, in two doses over two years

Patients take the treatment, which took 25 years to develop, in two doses over two years

It works by destroying a key class of immune cells that are attacking the body’ s healthy nerve cells and then rebooting the immune system so it no longer turns on itself.

A main side effect is patients can develop other autoimmune diseases as the immune system gradually recovers following exposure to the drug.

These include thyroid problems and a low blood platelet count that can rarely can prove fatal. Platelets are cells that circulate in the blood and clot to keep us from bleeding.

The complications can be easily treated if promptly recognised which makes monthly blood tests essential, said Prof Compston.

‘This drug offers a bright future but it is coloured by the risk.

‘It’s not a cure and it doesn’t work for everyone but it can stabilise the disease for a long time. Patients are less disabled, they can look after their families and the societal savings are considerable’ he added.

Unlike most treatments newly approved for NHS use, patients don’t have to try other drugs first and more than two courses of treatment may be offered.

Prof Compston said ‘Twenty years ago when a young person was diagnosed, I’d have to say I’m sorry to tell you that you do have MS – we’ll do our best to look after you but there are limited treatments.

‘Today this drug may well be suitable for 50 to 60 per cent of early cases.’

Nick Rijke, Director for Policy & Research at the MS Society, said it was ‘a major step forward’.

He said ‘This drug has taken decades to develop, and we applaud the team at Cambridge for all their work in making it a reality.

‘While it’s not without risk, it’s proven to be a highly effective medicine for people with relapsing remitting MS and we look forward to seeing it made available to those who could benefit.’

Amy Bowen, of the MS Trust said ‘This provides people with MS with an important treatment option to consider in partnership with their MS specialists.

Article was taken from Daily Mail Online