Sick Child writes PM, Parents start petition calling for Life-saving Medicine locked away by the NHS

by Benson Agoha | Life and Living

A 12 year old girl with Kidney ailment has written to Prime Minister David Cameron, asking to be allowed to receive from the NHS, a life saving medicine that cost an enormous £136,000-a-year.

Aby Longfellow needs expensive life-saving medicine.
(Credit: via Change.Org).

In support of your letter, her parents Jo and Andy Longfellow, have begun a petition to press the PM to allow the NHS to administer the medicine to Aby.

The Petition titled "David Cameron MP: Allow the NHS to give Abi Longfellow her life-saving medicine" follows a May 23rd report in the Mirror in which Gemma Aldridge and Jess Owen emphasized that the special drug was firmly under lock and key behind the hospital doors.

Manufactured by Alexion Pharmaceuticals, the licence to the drug Eculizumab, is due to run out in five years time, according to the Mirror report.  But until 2020, the price appears set to remain high. After the licence runs out, the price could plummet to the same as a packet of paracetamol when other manufacturers can produce it.

Meanwhile Alexion Pharmaceuticals are milking it for all it is worth and have reportedly refused to drop the price.

In their petition, Aby's parents said her "one-in-a-million illness is too rare to be covered by NHS England’s drug funding policy but not rare enough to unlock cash for exceptional cases."

Jo and Andy Longfellow said knowing that the drug sits in the hospital but Abi can’t have it is horrendous, especially because "In a couple years’ time it will be as cheap as a packet of paracetamol but it will be too late for Abi."

They said "We know the drug is there that could help Abi and it is used in other countries. It’s torture to know that her life could be saved but we can’t afford to save it. We’re calling on Alexion and the UK Government to give Abi’s life a chance.

The petitioners are looking for another 35,640 supports to reach the target of 200,000 after 164,360 supported it on the Change.Org website.

To read and sign the petition or to lend your support click on: (SAVE ABY LONGEFELLOW PETITION).