Victims of cancer cannot afford drugs

Patients ill with cancer do not receive treatment with vital drugs only because of the fact they have not enough money for the prescription charges - campaigners warns. According to Charity Breast Cancer Care, 42% of breast cancer patients, which is almost a half, had financial problems as they were forced to pay prescriptions charges for their medicine. Patients ill with cancer do not receive treatment with vital drugs only because of the fact they have not enough money for the prescription charges - campaigners warns. According to Charity Breast Cancer Care, 42% of breast cancer patients, which is almost a half, had financial problems as they were forced to pay prescriptions charges for their medicine. In England and Scotland 164 women participated in the survey and 15% of them declared they had not taken the drugs to hold the recurrence of the cancer simply because the cost of it was too high. Breast Cancer Care has introduced a campaign - Prescription for Change - and is trying to influence on the Government to cancel prescription charges for cancer treatment. Those people who fulfil certain medical conditions (e.g. diabetes and those who suffer from some kinds of epilepsy) already receive free prescriptions. The survey, conducted by the charity, discovered that the yearly cost of prescriptions for patients ill with breast cancer started from around "90 and finished in about hundreds of pounds! Obviously, the heaviest costs had patients who were forced to take a number of medicine for several years" e.g. those put on a treatment courses lasting up to 10 years. The charity stated that the financial hardship could hit patients suffering from advanced or terminal phases of cancer, who might be forced to quit work and live on a lower earnings. Breast Cancer Care's chief executive, Christine Fogg, stated: "Thankfully more people with cancer are now surviving than ever before but many are now being treated long term which comes at a price. Prescription charges, on top of all the added costs that can come with cancer can place enormous strain on individuals and families. After 40 years it's time for change. The Government must commit to an urgent review of the current list of exemptions. No-one should ever be forced to pay prescription charges for what may be life-saving treatment."