§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of(a) Irinotecan and (b) Oxaliplatin; and if he will make a statement; [118961]
(2) what steps he has taken to mark National Bowel Cancer Awareness Week; [118962]
(3) if he will list those health authorities which fund all eligible bowel cancer patients with (a) Irinotecan and (b) Oxaliplatin in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [118964]
§ Yvette CooperOn the 2 May, the Minister of State for Health announced that the National Institute of Clinical Excellence will be asked to consider a range of cancer drugs for appraisal of their clinical and cost effectiveness. These will include irinotecan, oxaliplatin and raltitrexed for colorectal cancer.
Detailed spending information on cancer services, including drugs, is not currently held centrally.
I attended the launch of the National Bowel Cancer Week on 10 April. In addition, we have made available £10 million each year since 1998 to improve access to diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer. From July 2000, all patients suspected of having colorectal cancer will be guaranteed an outpatient appointment within 14 days of their general practitioner marking an urgent referral.