Prescription charges cost so dear, that cancer patients, ill afford it, and simply discontinue the treatment
Prescription charges cost so dear, that cancer patients, ill afford it, and simply discontinue the treatment. According to the Charity Breast Cancer Care, 42% of breast cancer patients, nearly half of total breast cancer cases, reported financial incapacity to afford the prescription charges. Out of the 164 women surveyed in England and Scotland, nearly 15% said they were forced to discontinue the treatment due to the cost factor.
Now, Breast cancer care is impressing upon the government to drop the prescription charges, just like how exemptions have been given for medical conditions like diabetes, where the prescription does not attract any charge. A survey conducted by the charity breast cancer care has revealed that yearly prescription cost for breast cancer patients ranged from £90 to many hundred pounds, with treatments continuing for 10 years. The situation is unimaginable for terminally ill patients who may be unemployed, and certainly unable to afford the treatment.The cancer survival rates have gone up, necessitating continuation of treatment, according to Christine Fogg, Breast Cancer Care's chief executive, and the treatment being costly, can exert a lot of pressure on the families and the patients. According to her, the time is ripe for a change and the Government should look into the list of exemptions on a priority
