Victims Of Cancer Cannot Afford Drugs

Patients ill with cancer do not receive treatment with vital drugs
only because of the fact they have not enough money for the
prescription charges – campaigners warns
According to Charity Breast Cancer Care, 42% of breast cancer
patients, which is almost a half, had financial problems as they
were forced to pay prescriptions charges for their medicine
Patients ill with cancer do not receive treatment with vital
drugs only because of the fact they have not enough money for
the prescription charges – campaigners warns
According to Charity Breast Cancer Care, 42% of breast cancer
patients, which is almost a half, had financial problems as they
were forced to pay prescriptions charges for their medicine
In England and Scotland 164 women participated in the survey and
15% of them declared they had not taken the drugs to hold the
recurrence of the cancer simply because the cost of it was too
high
Breast Cancer Care has introduced a campaign – Prescription for
Change – and is trying to influence on the Government to cancel
prescription charges for cancer treatment Those people who
fulfil certain medical conditions (eg diabetes and those who
suffer from some kinds of epilepsy) already receive free
prescriptions
The survey, conducted by the charity, discovered that the yearly
cost of prescriptions for patients ill with breast cancer
started from around “90 and finished in about hundreds of
pounds! Obviously, the heaviest costs had patients who were
forced to take a number of medicine for several years” eg
those put on a treatment courses lasting up to 10 years
The charity stated that the financial hardship could hit
patients suffering from advanced or terminal phases of cancer,
who might be forced to quit work and live on a lower earnings
Breast Cancer Care’s chief executive, Christine Fogg, stated:
“Thankfully more people with cancer are now surviving than ever
before but many are now being treated long term which comes at a
price Prescription charges, on top of all the added costs that
can come with cancer can place enormous strain on individuals
and families After 40 years it’s time for change The
Government must commit to an urgent review of the current list
of exemptions No-one should ever be forced to pay prescription
charges for what may be life-saving treatment”

Tags | breast, charges, charity, earnings, epilepsy, medical, recurrence, treatment, years