Who should pay for cancer drugs?

Abstract

Co-payments exist in many aspects of health care already. The Department of Health's own website states that ‘Entitlement to help with health costs (NHS prescription and dental charges, optical and hospital travel costs) is based on the principle that those who can afford to contribute should do so, while those who are likely to have difficulty in paying should be protected.’1 Prescription charges in England are the clearest example of co-payments, where occasionally the prescription charge is greater than the cost of the drug, although usually the converse is true. Dental charges are in three bands for patients seeing an NHS dentist, but of course it is often difficult to find an NHS dentist and many have left the NHS to practice only privately. But co-payments are also required for eye tests, spectacles and contact lenses, for wigs and fabric supports. Each has a series of potential exemptions but the underlying principle behind the exemptions is ability to pay.