Fund my wonder drug, urges Vicky

VICKY Phe lan, whose case led to the cervical cancer scandal, has called on the Government to fund the drug Pembrolizumab (Pembro), after she saw a 50% shrinkage in her tumours since she began taking the medicine.

The drug is currently not available to cervical cancer patients in Ireland.

However, the HSE said it was included in the support package offered to any women who developed cervical cancer after having their scan misread.

Speaking on RTÉ radio, Ms Phelan said: ‘The reason I fought so hard to get this drug, even diagnosis – I had no other options,’ she said.

Consultant oncologist and former senator John Crown said that the Government should make the same treatment available to all women in Ireland battling cervical cancer.

Writing on June 21 in the Irish Daily Mail, Dr Crown suggested a special tax on cigarettes, tobacco, and possibly tanning parlours to pay for such drugs.

However, Fianna Fáil spokesperson on health Stephen Donnelly said providing these drugs would be at the expense of treatments for other ailments.

Plea: Backed by John Crown before my court case went ahead, was because I was faced with a terminal illness, a terminal