P.S.

[poliphilo]

Since I wrote the last post, David Cameron (the leader of the British Conservative Party) has had to undertake a damage limitation exercise after a Conservative MEP (Member of the European Parliament) went on American TV to rubbish the
National Health Service.

Over here, you see, even Conservatives (which roughly- very roughly- translates as Republicans) think socialized medicine is a good thing. 

Comments

[jfs.livejournal.com]

Here's a UK based website

http://www.cancernet.co.uk/avastin.htm

talking about a cancer patient's doctor prescribing Avastin.

Here's another

http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Treatments/Biologicaltherapies/Monoclonalantibodies/Bevacizumab

which says "Although Avastin is licensed and can be prescribed in the UK, it has not been approved for use by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). NICE gives advice on which new drugs or treatments should be available on the NHS. As a result, Avastin may not be widely available on the NHS."

So - it's not prescribed in all cases, but it can be if the local health trust feel that it would be beneficial.

Cancerbackup.org.uk is one of the Macmillan charities websites; they know what they're talking about when it comes to cancer treatment in the UK.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I am using Avastin as a marker for willingness to use expensive treatments as I have a personal connection -- it has kept my sister alive for some years now. But I see that it "may not be widely available on the NHS."

[jfs.livejournal.com]

Sorry - I'm about to rush off to work ....

"Research into bevacizumab is continuing in the UK. It was tested with chemotherapy in a large phase 3 trial. People who had the combined treatment lived on average 5 months longer than people who had chemotherapy alone. So far, this treatment is only for advanced bowel cancer. We don't know yet if it will help earlier stage bowel cancer. "

http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=15107

That's from Cancer Research UK - another big important name in this field over here, and that page is dated 17th June.

So, it's still being researched here, and it can be prescribed, even if it may not be widely available.

That's by no means the same as "Avastin isn't prescribed".

Sorry if my earlier posts were snarky, by the way. This is an emotive topic, but I should have been politer.