Cancer drug offered to Northern Ireland women
The breast cancer drug Herceptin is to be made available to women in Northern Ireland, the British government announced today.
But Northern Ireland Health Minister Shaun Woodward said it will only be prescribed to patients on the advice of their clinicians.
Two cancer patients in the North had threatened to take legal action against the Department of Health if they refused to pay for the treatment.
Last month it was confirmed all women with early-stage breast cancer in England would be tested to see if they were eligible for the drug.
The move followed the court victory of Barbara Clark, 49, from Bridgwater, Somerset, who faced having to sell her home to pay privately for the drug.
Herceptin is currently licensed only for use in women with advanced breast cancer, but it is also thought to be effective at treating the early stages of the disease.
