Health officials in Portsmouth, England have disapproved funding for the chemotherapy drug Alimta to treat mesothelioma, a cancer of the lung lining caused by asbestos exposure. Portsmouth has the sixth highest mesothelioma death rate among men in Great Britain, particularly among former dockyard workers who were exposed to asbestos on the job. Portsmouth health officials’ reason for not approving funding of Alimta for mesothelioma patients is their claim that the drug is not effective enough. Mesothelioma patients are urging the health officials to approve Alimta, as the chemotherapy drug has been shown to prolong life expectancy and help to relieve pain and breathing problems.
For the full article, go to portsmouthtoday.co.uk.
