BBC Radio 5 Live Combining Cancer Drugs

Julia Manning, Chief Executive of 2020health spoke on BBC Radio Five's Afternoon Edition about the new clinical trial combining two cancer drugs. Julia explained how Cancer costs not only the NHS approx 5 billion each year but around 18.3 billion to the economy in general due to loss of productivity and such. She discussed how the 'Cancer Drugs Fund' is controversial because it is only for Cancer Drugs and some believe it demonstrates a lack of value for money. One of the Cancer drugs used in the trial was approved by NICE and one wasn't so would therefore need to be funded by the 'Cancer Drugs Fund' to make it nationally available. Though it has been found not all Cancer drugs are available to all areas of the country. Julia believes politicians need to manage expectations and lead the way in involving the public in a debate about the price of extending life.