from the BBC--a new way to finance temozolomide and other drugs!

[Lani]

It is a sad comment on the world that it has to come to this!


Friends strike medicine fund deal

David Hitchen was diagnosed with a brain tumour
A man is buying medication that could prolong his friend's life on the promise of repayment after his death.
Brain tumour sufferer David Hitchen, from Stocksfield in Northumberland, has pinned his hopes on Temozolomide.

However, as it has not been approved by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (Nice) his health trust will not fund it.

So David Boon is paying for the £1,000 a month treatment and will be refunded from Mr Hitchen's life insurance.

Temozolomide is widely used in Europe and America to treat primary brain tumours and is believed to improve survival chances.


David Boon did not think twice about agreeing to the deal

However, in the UK the decision rests with individual health trusts, and the trust treating Mr Hitchens will not fund the treatment.

Northumberland Care Trust said in a statement: "Decisions about drug usage are taken by a group made up of cancer experts, pharmacists, other medical specialists and managers who represent all of the NHS trusts in the area.

"This means that clinicians are involved in making the decisions and a consistent approach is taken across the North East and Cumbria."

Following the funding refusal, Mr Hitchen asked Mr Boon to help him out, on the understanding he would be paid back from the life insurance once he had died.

Mr Hitchen said: "The guy's a great friend, and he just said right, OK."

Mr Boon confirmed it was a request he could not refuse.