Dying cancer woman wins drug appeal
Updated on 02 May 2007
A woman dying of kidney cancer has won an appeal against a primary care trust to be given a potentially life extending drug.
Hazel Watts was told by doctors that the drug Nexavar could extend her life by up to two years.
But in March the 66-year-old, from Budleigh Salterton, Devon, was told by the Devon Primary Care Trust (PCT) that the treatment would not be appropriate for her.
Now an appeal panel has agreed to fund the treatment, which is reported to cost £2,000 a month, on the basis of "exceptional and unusual clinical need".
Derek Hathaway, non-executive director with the PCT and chair of the appeals panel, said: "The panel was presented with additional clinical evidence from Mrs Watts's consultant.
"When her case was reviewed in detail, this evidence - which was not available to the original panel - led the PCT to approve the application on the basis of exceptional and unusual clinical need."
It is understood that Mrs Watts had been taking a course of interferon and painkillers and was told by the PCT earlier this year that Nexavar had not been approved by the government's drugs watchdog, NICE.
Mrs Watts' daughter Lisa Chambers welcomed the decision of the appeal panel.
She told the BBC: "My mother's health had been declining rapidly so the whole family is delighted with the decision."
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