Cancer boost

WE WERE encouraged to hear that the Scottish Government now has plans in place to increase the number of medicines being approved by placing more importance on treatments intended for end of life. This announcement gives us hope that, in future, women with metastatic breast cancer will get more treatment options than the very limited range they have at present.

A timely reminder of the need for reform came this past week when we saw a highly effective medicine for women with secondary (metastatic) breast cancer rejected by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (your report, 8 October). This medicine offered good quality extra months of life, which we know is so important for women at this stage of their diagnosis. We will now be working hard to ensure these reforms are carried out in full and to the benefit of women with breast cancer.

James Jopling

Director for Scotland

Breakthrough Breast Cancer