Bowel Cancer Screening
Debate between Liz McInnes and Nick Thomas-Symonds(6 years, 7 months ago)
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Nick Thomas-Symonds
I am sure that all hon. Members would join me in sending their very best wishes to the hon. Gentleman’s father-in-law. I would be grateful if the hon. Gentleman passed those on. I welcome the cross-party support for reducing the screening age. I referred to Bowel Cancer UK, and I should point out that I have been pleased to do a number of runs to raise money for that charity through sponsorship.
I realise that we must deal with two other things to ensure that lowering the screening age and improving the screening process across the UK is effective. First, pathology capacity must be increased, because there will obviously be vastly more samples to deal with. Secondly, we need high-quality colonoscopy capacity to deal with the increased numbers of people referred on for further investigation as more sensitive tests yield further results that need to be checked out.
Liz McInnes (Heywood and Middleton) (Lab)
I extend my condolences to my hon. Friend on the sad loss of his mother. I worked in pathology before I became an MP, and I am grateful to him for mentioning it and the increase in capacity that will be required if it is found to be indicated clinically that we need to reduce the screening age to 50.
Nick Thomas-Symonds
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for her sympathy and for bringing her experience to bear on the debate. Such increased capacity will be so important.
That we need to be ambitious on pathology and colonoscopy capacity should not deter us from the ultimate goal, however; I want to see every eligible person across the United Kingdom have access to the best and most effective screening methods, so that we can finally defeat this cancer. Saving lives—giving more families more precious moments with their loved ones—should be the only incentive we need to make progress.
Off-patent Drugs Bill
Debate between Liz McInnes and Nick Thomas-Symonds(9 years, 1 month ago)
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Liz McInnes (Heywood and Middleton) (Lab)
We are talking about people who support the Bill. The Association Of the British Pharmaceutical Industry says that it supports the principle of the Bill, but that it is concerned that it could discourage the development of new medicines. Does my hon. Friend agree that the Bill in no way precludes the normal process of research and development for the manufacture and discovery of new drugs?
Nick Thomas-Symonds
I agree entirely with my hon. Friend. Repurposing is becoming increasingly common. Approximately 10% of the Brain Tumour Research portfolio is in repurposed drugs. For the Cure Parkinson’s Trust, the figure is 50%, and for the Alzheimer’s Society it is 13.6%. My hon. Friend makes a powerful point.