Welsh Health Minister Lesley Griffiths has said the Welsh Government will not introduce a Cancer Drug Fund.
Speaking at the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group tenth anniversary conference on Thursday, the Minister said a Cancer Drugs Fund for Wales – similar to the one in England – would not be the right course of action.
She said the Welsh Government would continue to focus its spend on cancer treatment on early diagnosis and consistent, evidence-based access to cancer drugs. The Minister also claimed that spend on cancer drugs in Wales is £4.50 more per head of population than in England.
Ms Griffiths said: “I feel strongly a Cancer Drugs Fund would not be in the best interests of people in Wales. We already have robust mechanisms in place to ensure access to non-approved medicines is consistent for patients in exceptional circumstances.
“There is no consensus among senior clinicians either in England or Wales a Cancer Drugs Fund works. Many believe it operates inconsistently and takes money away from other services and equally deserving diseases.
“There is no evidence a Cancer Drugs Fund improves the quality of life or survival rates. The available evidence does show survival is more closely linked to early diagnosis while surgery and radiotherapy are more likely to influence survival, and it is on these issues we should focus.
“We believe it would create unacceptable inequities in our health system, and undermine the essential work of the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group to deliver evidence based advice on new treatments.
“For all these reasons, I think the question should be why would the Welsh Government introduce a Cancer Drugs Fund, when everything is telling us the responsible way forward is the evidence based approach we are taking.”
The Welsh Conservatives’ Shadow Minister for Health Darren Millar said: “There is absolutely nothing irresponsible about giving Welsh cancer sufferers the same access to drugs as English patients.
“That the Minister thinks there is will rightly astound those who are battling cancer – along with their loved ones.
“There remain 24 life-prolonging cancer drugs routinely available in England that are not easily accessible to patients in Wales. That is unjustifiable.”
The Rarer Cancers Foundation has suggested a similar fund in Wales could be established for £3 million pounds a year.
Mr Millar added: “It will amaze and frustrate Welsh cancer sufferers that the Minister continues to squirm out of what is an affordable policy. A cancer treatments fund is within her means, even despite her record-breaking cuts to the NHS.”