Watchdog rejects cancer drug

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dying of bowel cancer and it hurts. I know, and their families know, that they might have been alive today if they has been given a chance with Avastin, like I was."

Mrs Moss’s bowel cancer had spread to her liver but the tumours did not respond to chemotherapy. When she was given Avastin, the tumours shrank completely, allowing her to have surgery and she is now in remission.

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She added: “It seems immoral to me that, as a result of negative Nice decisions like this one, people’s choice of living or dying depends on whether they can afford a drug because it isn’t available to them on the NHS.”

A Department of Health spokesman said it understood patients would find the announcement disappointing, but the decision was subject to consultation.

He added: “We have already announced an additional 50m of funding to be available from October, ahead of the 2011 Cancer Drugs Fund, which will help thousands of patients access cancer drugs recommended by their doctors.”