Cancer drugs fund ‘is not sustainable’

a FUND set up by the Government to pay for potentially lifesaving drugs that have yet to be approved by the NHS rationing body is ‘unsustainable’, officials have warned.

Despite helping 74,000 patients in the last five years, the Cancer Drugs Fund exceeded its budget by 50 per cent this year.

it was initially allocated an annual sum of £200million but demand has been so high that a total of £416million was spent in 2014/15.

NHS England, which controls the fund, has since had to remove dozens of treatments from the list of those routinely provided in an attempt to cut back on costs.

But today’s report by the National audit Office warns that the system will have to change because the NHS cannot afford to pay for all the drugs needed by patients.

Officials are due to announce a review of the fund in the next few weeks which may lead to it only being used to pay for drugs on a short-term basis which are awaiting approval by the NHS rationing body NICE.

Liberal Democrat MP Meg Hillier, chairman of the public accounts committee said: ‘Getting access to the right treatment is vital for any patient and particularly those dealing with illnesses such as cancer.

‘it is good news that the Cancer Drugs Fund has helped more than 74,000 patients since it was first set up in 2010, providing them with medication they could not normally access through the NHS.

‘However, at a time of increased pressures on NHS funding, the Cancer Drugs Fund is not sustainable in its current form.

‘if patients are going to get access to the drugs they need, there needs to be much better control of costs and proper assessment of whether these drugs are making a difference to the health of patients.’