Celebrated Sutent ruling 'has taken too long'

By eperkins

THE family of a man who had to battle for a life-prolonging drug are celebrating the decision to make it available to cancer sufferers in England and Wales.

But Joanne Popham said that, although she welcomed the decision by a Government watchdog to make Sutent available to patients with advanced kidney cancer from today, she was appalled it had taken so long.

Patients have been battling for years to win the right to have the drug, which can increase the survival rates by up to a year.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) had originally rejected making Sutent, which costs £30,000 a year per patient, available through the NHS, saying it was too expensive.

But it was forced into a U-turn following a public outcry and a mass demonstration outside its London headquarters.

Miss Popham, aged 39, of Llangyfelach, whose 63-year-old dad Paul, was given just nine months to live back in October last year, said: "Nice did say a decision would be in March, but it's appalling people have had to wait so long."