Letter: Denial of drugs

My husband (the composer and musician] Edward Harper, was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2005, and the prognosis here was extremely poor. Since we had the means and the contacts, we travelled to and from Vienna and he was treated with the drugs Bevacizumab and Cetuximab - both of which were widely and readily available abroad.

His progress was so good that it was possible to perform a massive liver resection operation in 2006. He not only made an excellent recovery, living a totally normal life, he was also still very active professionally, and among other things composed one of his greatest works during this period.

Although his condition was terminal, the top oncologist in Vienna confirmed that he gained at least three years of quality life as a result of this treatment.

It is totally immoral and an absolute disgrace that people such as my husband are being "allowed to die" in this country through the denial of fundamental life-prolonging treatment (your report, 1 October).

Louise Harper

Morningside Park

Edinburgh