Cancer patients don't want hand outs says forum

Mon, 10 Nov 2014

Cancer patients on the Isle of Man are not looking for huge financial hand-outs - they simply want a chance to live for longer.

Chairman of the Cancer Services User Forum, Derek Peters, is supporting calls for the Island to set up its own cancer drug fund.

Government says it would cost an extra £4.20 per head of population each year to fund it and says at this time it has other priorities to finance.

However this stance means some patients have to buy their own medicine - a cost that runs into tens of thousands of pounds.

Derek says it realises there is a financial strain but it isn't right to deprive people: