Sir, Much to our disappointment, the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) recently made the decision to reject the secondary breast cancer drug Everolimus, also known as Afinitor, for use on the NHS.
More than 1,000 Scottish women die every year from breast cancer, the vast majority from secondary breast cancer. Unfortunately there are very few treatments available for this stage of the disease.
Yet clinical trials have proved Afinitor could slow the growth of cancer for up to a year and for most women, side-effects are also mild when compared to other treatments, allowing women to continue doing the things they care about such as spending time with loved ones, working or caring for family.
It has been hailed as a “ground-breaking” drug and we think it is one of the most exciting breast cancer treatments to come up for approval in years.
But it was rejected because it was deemed too expensive.
Breakthrough Breast Cancer believes the system for approving medicines in Scotland has to change to allow more flexibility around cost.
We will do all we can to influence decision-makers so that women with secondary breast cancer are not denied the treatment choices they need and deserve.
James Jopling. Director for Scotland at Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
Knighthoodis taking it a step too far
Sir, All the people I know and love watched Andy Murray battle to win Wimbledon most of us had tears in our eyes when he won.
In the aftermath there is not one of those people, including myself, who did not groan “please, no, do not give him a knighthood!”
Nobody would dispute he worked hard and has inspired although would we have loved him as much had he not cried last year? but are our lives so lacking that every time someone achieves some sporting trophy we feel the need to elevate them to a status that once was so revered, a knight of the realm?
Yes, these sportsmen and women are great role models for our young but my grandchildren now want to become footballers, cyclists, tennis players, not teachers, engineers, scientists, or even our unsung foot soldiers of the workforces.
They want fame and glory, which is unrealistic for most of them.
There has to be a balance. We overdo our acclamations. Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Bruce Forsyth, Sir Sean Connery I mean, really! My knights sat at a round table, in glistening armour, ready to battle for king and country.
Let us salute Andy Murray. He was fantastic, brave and talented, but let us not forget that tennis is his job, for which he is extremely well paid.
Barbara Sturrock. 12 Invergowrie Drive, Dundee.
An incredible decision
Sir, Having had the benefit of a presentation on the role of Skywatch by a leading member of the organisation, I find the recent decision by the police to dispense with its services incredible.
How many helicopters/planes does our police force have? Can they cope with several incidents occurring simultaneously and spread all over the landscape?
What happens to the injured parties during a possible one to two hours it takes for these search planes to reach their area?
Will the police no longer require public help in cases of missing persons, murders, road accidents etc?
Perhaps Sir Stephen will sprout wings on his motorcycle.
Alex Blyth. Kilrenny, Fife.
They should look after pets
Sir, Recently there have been many articles regarding people’s cats being targeted by idiots with air guns etc.
Do cat owners not think they have a responsibility to look after their pets?
It seems the idea is to feed them then let them loose to use neighbourhood gardens as toilets and kill as many song birds as possible.
I have also seen two cats being hit by cars and know of another three that have been killed recently by vehicles.
God forbid someone tries to avoid hitting a cat and hits an innocent pedestrian.
Dog owners have a responsibility to keep their pets under control, cat owners should also be responsible for the welfare of their pets.
Bob Duncan. 110 Caesar Avenue, Carnoustie.
Airport already in place?
Sir, With reference to the letter from Kenneth Brannan about a new airport at Camperdown Park may I remind everyone of an excellent, all-weather runway with full associated infrastructure, about 20 minutes by road from Dundee and with a railway station on the main east coast line, shortly to lose its military aircraft?
I refer, of course, to RAF Leuchars. There is ample space to construct a civilian terminal and even if the RAF did want to maintain a presence it could be a joint-use airfield.
John Dorward. 89 Brechin Road, Arbroath.