New research suggests, patients with rare cancers are being left to die due to a ‘postcode lottery’ over who gets access to drugs.

The Rarer Cancers Forum found extensive deviation the number of patients granted access to medicines in England.

In some area of England 100% of applications from patients were rejected, but in other areas every single one was approved the research report.

About 96% of patients living in Mid Essex had their requests approved, while each person in neighboring South West Essex rejected applications. Generally, one in four exceptional requests for cancer treatment was denied.

According to charity statistics about 1,314 patients across England may have been denied treatment.

The charity’s chief executive, Penny Wilson-Webb, said “The NHS should be available to all who need it. Yet 1,300 cancer patients were denied the treatment that could have made all the difference to them. This audit shows that the exceptional cases process is in chaos and patients are suffering.”

She said number of cancer patients had been forced to beg for their lives since October 2006. “There has to be a better way,” she further said. “We urge the Government to accept our 10 point plan to end this bizarre and demeaning lottery.”

PCTs are not enforced to fund treatments which have not until now been assess by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice), or which are not being appraised. The patients represent an “exceptional case” said doctors and patients must appeal for the drugs,

About 30% to 50% of all cancer cases could be classified as “rarer”, falling outside the common cancers such as colon, breast, lung and prostate according to the Forum.

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