Welsh patients must not miss out of expensive new "Wonder drugs"

12.00.00am GMT Tue 10th Jan 2006

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Mike German has called for an urgent study to ensure Wales can afford to use cutting edge cancer drugs coming on to the market.

At First Minister's Questions today, Mike German AM, challenged Rhodri Morgan to reveal what plans had been drawn up to pay for new cancer drugs like Herceptin, which has been the subject of court cases by patients to get the drug on the NHS. Mr Morgan revealed that no special thought had been given to the issue.

Mr German said: "In England the government has lost court cases over giving Herceptin to early stage breast cancer sufferers. In Wales there has been no court case, yet, but it is surely only a matter of time.

"The First Minister admitted that Herceptin was likely to be the first of a series of 'wonder-drugs' which are more effective than their predecessors, and also more expensive, yet the government has failed to look at how we would pay for these drugs.

"The government must conduct an urgent cost-benefit analysis, looking at all the implications of using these drugs. It must consider the effect on patients and their families, the impact on the drugs budget and the wider impact on the health service.

"Only then can we be sure that patients will have access to these drugs, which promise to improve their lives."