NHS to fund costly cancer drug that extended brave Bradley’s life
A CANCER drug which extended the life of England mascot Bradley Lowery has been approved for use on the NHS.
Bradley was just six when he died last July from aggressive neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer which affects about 100 children in the UK every year.
The Sunderland fan’s plight touched the lives of countless people, including England manager Gareth Southgate. They met when Bradley was the national team’s mascot four months before he died.
He was given immunotherapy drug dinutuximab beta during clinical trials, which helped clear the cancer at the end of 2014. The drug boosts the immune system and helps target the body’s natural defences at the tumours.
Tragically for Bradley the cancer returned in 2016 and he died a year ago. But his mother Gemma credits the drug with giving her ‘18 very happy months’ with her son after his all-clear, which she says she would not have otherwise had.
Despite this, NHS drugs watchdog NICE was poised to reject routine access to the treatment because of its £150,000-ayear cost. But yesterday it said it had agreed to provide the drug after receiving a commercially confidential discount from manufacturer EUSA Pharma.
Mrs Lowery, 35, from Co Durham, said last night: ‘I am overjoyed. This is a huge step forward in the world of neuroblastoma and takes away so much stress for the families whose children are fighting against it.
‘I know first-hand how this drug is a huge benefit to children who have neuroblastoma. Bradley became cancer free after having dinutuximab beta as part of his frontline treatment.’
Mrs Lowery was instrumental in a campaign to force a rethink from NICE, meeting then-Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to gain his support for the cause.
Dr Juliet Gray, associate professor in paediatric oncology at the University of Southampton, said: ‘Today’s decision by NICE is a vital step forward in the treatment of young children with this aggressive type of cancer.
‘This takes away so much stress’