Steve Brine met with Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley MP, this week to discuss cancer drug funding.
Mr Lansley confirmed to Steve that cancer patients in England are being offered greater access to recommended treatment with an increase of £50m from the Department of Health going into the Cancer Drugs Fund.
He also told Steve that a further £200m per year would be available to fund cancer drugs from April 2011 until December 2013.
Steve said: “This is a crucial step forward in addressing the disparity in patents’ access to cancer drugs here in England, and they will now have more control over their healthcare.”
Many drugs cost vast amounts, and patients can find themselves covering the costs if they buy them privately.
Steve added: “The Cancer Drugs Fund will provide thousands of patients with increased access to new cancer drugs that they may have had to buy themselves in the past.”
Pictured; Steve has hosted Andrew Lansley in Winchester & Chandler’s Ford on a number of occasions