England-only cancer drug battle patient 'cure' hopes

Irfon Williams, pictured with two of his children, could not get the drug Cetuximab in north Wales

A cancer patient who moved to England for treatment after funding for his condition was rejected by a Welsh health board has been told he could soon be free of the disease.

Irfon Williams, 44, from Bangor, Gwynedd, was told last year he had two years to live because of bowel cancer.

He went to live with relatives in order to get funding for the drug Cetuximab, which can extend patients' lives.

The Welsh government said all patients had access to "proven" treatments.

Father-of-five Mr Williams has been told his tumours have shrunk by 60% since having treatment and is expecting an operation to remove them in September to rid him of the disease completely.

Betsi Cadwaladr health board, which made the decision not to fund Cetuximab, said at the time decisions of that kind were "highly sensitive".

'Little or no benefits'

Mr Williams's treatment was paid for by the Cancer Drugs Fund, which does not exist in Wales.

As a result of his experiences the health services manager has campaigned to highlight the issue, with questions put to the first minister in the Senedd as a result.

A Welsh government spokesman said: "In Wales, we have a system in place which ensures all patients get access to proven and effective treatments for all conditions - not just cancer.

"Cancer patients in Wales have quicker access to NICE-approved cancer drugs than those in England.

"The Cancer Drugs Fund in England funds non-approved medicines that deliver little or no benefit for patients. We have no plans to introduce a cancer drugs fund in Wales."