Elaine Lynch (59) has to pay more than 7,000 francs every three weeks: authorities refuse essential medicines to cancer patients

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Elaine Lynch (59) suffers from cancer. In 2021, the Brit was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer – without ever having smoked in her life.

Although a life-extending drug exists, the terminally ill mother must pay 7,000 British pounds (almost 7,700 francs) out of her own pocket every three weeks to live a little longer, the Daily Mail reports. Now Lynch is worried about the money, which is running out. She fears she will have to sell her house soon.

Approval for lung cancer is lacking

The cancer drug that keeps the 59-year-old alive is called Enhertu. Although the treatment has shown visible results and is recommended by their doctors, the National Health Service refuses to reimburse the costs.

The National Health Service is the national healthcare system in the United Kingdom. Healthcare is not provided through health insurance, but is financed directly through taxes. Accordingly, the services are then free for all residents.

The reason for the authority’s rejection: Enhertu has not yet been approved for lung cancer patients, but it is approved for breast cancer.

When Lynch’s lung cancer was examined, doctors discovered that it had a rare and aggressive HER2 mutation. HER2 – short for Human Epidermal Receptor – is a protein on cell surfaces that promotes the growth of tumor cells.

Although HER2 is most often associated with breast cancer, such mutations can also occur in other types of cancer. Enhertu is used to fight HER2-positive cancers.

Children criticize ‘immoral fact’

Lynch has already spent almost £60,000 on treatments “just to live a little longer,” she says. “Either do nothing, let the cancer grow and die, or use another National Health Service treatment that is not as effective… We had no choice but to pay.”

For Lynch’s adult children, the situation their mother finds herself in is “cruel.” On the online fundraising platform Gofundme, where they raise money for cancer patients, they write: ‘We are shocked by the immoral fact that our mother could be in the same cancer clinic as someone who receives this medicine for free just because she has breast cancer. , while our mother is denied access because of her cancer.”

Lynch still wants to meet her grandchild

Lynch has no illusions. Although scans show that the tumor is shrinking due to the treatment, she realizes that the medication only buys her a little more time. She wants to enjoy this with her family and “maybe meet my first grandchild.”

But financial worries make it difficult to enjoy the time, explains Lynch’s partner Chris Goodwin (60). “We can’t sleep,” he says. “Every morning we wake up and think about the fact that we have to spend another £7,000 every three weeks.”

In the time between treatments, they are busy finding a way to have the National Health Service reimburse the costs.

But their efforts have not been successful so far. The couple is now preparing to sell their home so they can afford cancer medications a little longer. (bab)

Source: Blick