Cancer charities are claiming that thousands of NHS cancer patients are being denied life-prolonging treatments.

A report commissioned by Breast Cancer Now and Prostate Cancer UK says that innovative treatments being used in other countries are not available here.

The International Comparisons of Health Technology Assessment report published today reviewed the drug systems and the availability of breast and prostate cancer treatments in England, Scotland and Wales compared to five similar countries: Germany, France, Australia, Canada and Sweden.

Baroness Delyth Morgan, Chief Executive at Breast Cancer Now, said: "That NHS patients are being denied access to innovative new breast cancer drugs, while other countries are finding ways to make them available, is totally unacceptable.

"This report demonstrates the need for serious reform of the way our health system assesses, and determines the availability of, the cancer drugs that patients rely upon."


Image: Sian Slifkin was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013

Sian Slifkin, a wife and mother of two from Stockport, was diagnosed with primary and secondary breast cancer in 2013.

The courses of radiotherapy and drugs she has been taking are gradually decreasing their effect, and the next step in her treatment could be the use of Kadcyla.

But it's a drug that has not been approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in England and Wales for use on the NHS.

"It makes me feel sick inside that there's a drug out there that could help me and thousands of others like me," she says.

"Millions of pounds are being spent on foreign aid by our Government, and yet there are British citizens like me that are dying needlessly, because there are drugs there that can help us."

The report recommends that NICE and its Scottish counterpart the Scottish Medicines Comsortium should not have the dual role of both assessing the effectiveness of a treatment and also deciding whether or not it's cost effective.

They're also calling for patients to be more involved in the process.

In November 2015, when NICE announced it would not make Kadcyla available through the NHS, Sir Andrew Dillon, NICE Chief Executive, said: "We recognise that Kadcyla has a place in treating some patients with advanced breast cancer and we have been as flexible as we can in making our recommendation.

"However, the price that the manufacturer is asking the NHS to pay in the long-term is too high."