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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Cancer drugs 'need more clarity' | Cancer drugs 'need more clarity' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| MSPs are demanding more clarity in the way health boards decide which cancer drugs they fund. | MSPs are demanding more clarity in the way health boards decide which cancer drugs they fund. |
| It follows a petition by cancer patient Mike Gray, from Buckie, Moray, who died while politicians considered his case. | It follows a petition by cancer patient Mike Gray, from Buckie, Moray, who died while politicians considered his case. |
| NHS Grampian had argued cetuximab would not be cost effective, but later agreed to pay for the drug before his death. | NHS Grampian had argued cetuximab would not be cost effective, but later agreed to pay for the drug before his death. |
| His widow Tina McGeever continued the campaign. A public petitions committee report has now highlighted discrepancies between health boards. | His widow Tina McGeever continued the campaign. A public petitions committee report has now highlighted discrepancies between health boards. |
| Mr Gray, 53, had won his fight to make the NHS pay for a drug he hoped would prolong his life. | Mr Gray, 53, had won his fight to make the NHS pay for a drug he hoped would prolong his life. |
| He then continued to campaign for a fairer system for others. | He then continued to campaign for a fairer system for others. |
| Doctors stopped treating Mr Gray, a former social care worker, after discovering his bowel cancer had spread. | Doctors stopped treating Mr Gray, a former social care worker, after discovering his bowel cancer had spread. |
| 'Vitally important' | 'Vitally important' |
| He had been forced to pay £3,400 every fortnight for cetuximab after the health board initially agreed with the advice of the Scottish Medicines Consortium that the drug was not cost effective because it could only prolong his life, but not cure him. | He had been forced to pay £3,400 every fortnight for cetuximab after the health board initially agreed with the advice of the Scottish Medicines Consortium that the drug was not cost effective because it could only prolong his life, but not cure him. |
| Mr Gray took his fight to the public petitions committee of the Scottish Parliament, urging MSPs to consider the provision of cancer drugs to ensure equity across NHS boards. | Mr Gray took his fight to the public petitions committee of the Scottish Parliament, urging MSPs to consider the provision of cancer drugs to ensure equity across NHS boards. |
| Tina McGeever continued Mike Gray's drug campaign | Tina McGeever continued Mike Gray's drug campaign |
| Speaking in March, Mr Gray told BBC Scotland he had no regrets about his campaign as he hoped others would benefit as a result. | Speaking in March, Mr Gray told BBC Scotland he had no regrets about his campaign as he hoped others would benefit as a result. |
| In their report on Wednesday, MSPs said there needed to be much greater clarity over how decisions on expensive medicines were made. | In their report on Wednesday, MSPs said there needed to be much greater clarity over how decisions on expensive medicines were made. |
| The committee's convener Frank McAveety said: "This has been a vitally important inquiry and we are honoured to have taken it forward. | The committee's convener Frank McAveety said: "This has been a vitally important inquiry and we are honoured to have taken it forward. |
| "There were clear emotional issues surrounding it, not least the sad death during the inquiry of the petitioner. | "There were clear emotional issues surrounding it, not least the sad death during the inquiry of the petitioner. |
| "We want action from the Scottish Government to ensure that no-one else has to experience what Michael Gray and Tina McGeever did in trying to access cancer treatment drugs." | "We want action from the Scottish Government to ensure that no-one else has to experience what Michael Gray and Tina McGeever did in trying to access cancer treatment drugs." |
| Bowel Cancer UK said Mr Gray was a "very brave and inspirational man". | Bowel Cancer UK said Mr Gray was a "very brave and inspirational man". |