A CAMPAIGNER who fought to make potentially life-saving cancer drugs available on the NHS was “appalled” after it was announced yesterday some treatments would be scrapped.

Cancer sufferer Clive Stone was one of many who helped shape the Cancer Drugs Fund, which made previously unavailable treatments on the NHS accessible to all.

Yesterday it was announced that the fund, launched in 2010 by Prime Minister and Witney MP David Cameron, would be reducing the number of drugs available from 84 to 59, cutting out drugs considered to have little clinical benefit.

But NHS England will increase the fund’s budget from £280m in 2014/15 to £320m in 2015/16.

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Eynsham resident and 67-year-old campaigner Mr Stone said: “The Government said that they would continue these treatments until 2016, but they’re going back on their promise.

“I don’t understand why they’re increasing the budget, but reducing the treatment options, it just doesn’t make sense.

“New patients looking for cancer treatments will lose out.”


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