Mesothelioma

A more detailed study of the treatment is to be published by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence, which advises English health trusts, this autumn.

In a public draft of its report, Nice recommends against prescribing the drug.

Its judgment has automatically triggered a review of Scotland's decision and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (QIS) has indicated that if nothing changes Nice's opinion would prevail.

Dr Dunlop says in a letter to the Scottish Parliament: "I find it staggering that an English healthcare bureaucracy (Nice) will make a decision that will deny Scottish patients access to a drug which our executive assessed and agreed was appropriate." He adds that he and many other Scottish oncologists have seen the benefits of Alimta in patients with malignant pleural Referring to experts consulted by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde who felt Nice's decision should be accepted, Dr Dunlop adds: "Their opinion is not representative of the vast majority of oncologists in this country." Dr Marianne Nicolson, lung cancer specialist at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, has also backed the campaign.

Patients are often given a life expectancy of less than one year.

In Scotland, where asbestos was used heavily, especially...

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