MP welcomes cancer drugs fund extension

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has welcomed the news that thousands more cancer patients in England will get the life-extending drugs their doctors recommend thanks to an extra £400 million invested in the Cancer Drugs Fund.

More than 34,000 patients have benefitted from the Cancer Drugs Fund since it was created in 2010. Today's announcement means that the Fund is now confirmed for an extra two years until March 2016. The extension will benefit new patients and guarantee that those currently receiving drugs will continue to get them. The new money means the amount committed will top £1 billion in total.

Tim is well known for his campaign to bring cancer treatment services to the SouthLakes and is a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Ovarian Cancer.

The Cancer Drugs Fund allows patients to get fast access to cancer drugs which would not routinely be available on the NHS - but which their doctors believe are right for them. It was introduced after concerns were raised that too many newer cancer drugs were being denied to NHS patients.

NHS England will continue to be responsible for deciding which drugs are included in the fund. These decisions are taken by a panel of expert doctors.

Tim said: "The more treatment options that are available to doctors, the better job they can do. There is nothing more frustrating for families than knowing there is an effective, licensed, evidence-based treatment available but the NHS cannot afford it. This fund will save lives and make a massive difference."