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| Relief over kidney cancer drug approval | Relief over kidney cancer drug approval |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Clive Stone says he's overjoyed at the decisionClive Stone has been fighting two battles - one against kidney cancer, another for the drug that might prolong his life. | |
| He is celebrating victory in one of those battles, as the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) approved the drug Sunitinib. | He is celebrating victory in one of those battles, as the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) approved the drug Sunitinib. |
| It should be available to patients like Clive, who is soon to undergo an operation on a tumour, as early as June this year. | It should be available to patients like Clive, who is soon to undergo an operation on a tumour, as early as June this year. |
| He said: "I'm absolutely overjoyed. | He said: "I'm absolutely overjoyed. |
| "It's been a hard slog to get this decision changed." | "It's been a hard slog to get this decision changed." |
| The 61-year-old, from Freeland near Witney, Oxfordshire, formed the Justice for Kidney Cancer Patients group last year. It is now a country-wide network. | The 61-year-old, from Freeland near Witney, Oxfordshire, formed the Justice for Kidney Cancer Patients group last year. It is now a country-wide network. |
| Although he welcomes NICE's decision to approved the drug, it's a bitter-sweet victory. | Although he welcomes NICE's decision to approved the drug, it's a bitter-sweet victory. |
| "I just feel so sorry for the families who have lost their loved ones, having been denied a chance to at least try this drug," said Mr Stone. | "I just feel so sorry for the families who have lost their loved ones, having been denied a chance to at least try this drug," said Mr Stone. |
| "It doesn't work in every case but it's the only drug we've got." | "It doesn't work in every case but it's the only drug we've got." |
| Turning point | Turning point |
| The decision to approve the drug, also known as Sutent, applies to England and Northern Ireland. Wales has already approved it, but it is still not available in Scotland. | The decision to approve the drug, also known as Sutent, applies to England and Northern Ireland. Wales has already approved it, but it is still not available in Scotland. |
| Mr Stone organised a march to London last August, to put pressure on politicians to overturn NICE's initial refusal to approve the drug. Please, please, please let people have (the drug) now while they need it Clive Stone | Mr Stone organised a march to London last August, to put pressure on politicians to overturn NICE's initial refusal to approve the drug. Please, please, please let people have (the drug) now while they need it Clive Stone |
| "I think that was a turning point in our campaign," he said. | "I think that was a turning point in our campaign," he said. |
| "I told Alan Johnson that he'd be able to look out of his window and see a lot of sick patients marching for a drug they can already get in Romania." | "I told Alan Johnson that he'd be able to look out of his window and see a lot of sick patients marching for a drug they can already get in Romania." |
| Despite Mr Stone's ill health, he's determined to keep fighting for the drug to be released to patients in Oxfordshire. | Despite Mr Stone's ill health, he's determined to keep fighting for the drug to be released to patients in Oxfordshire. |
| "We really hope is that the Primary Care Trust immediately makes these drugs available," he said. | "We really hope is that the Primary Care Trust immediately makes these drugs available," he said. |
| "Please, please, please let people have it now while they need it." | "Please, please, please let people have it now while they need it." |