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WW2 pilot denied sight-saving drug on NHS
Last updated at 23:07pm on 09.02.07
Patrick Reyre
Second World War bomber pilot could go blind because the Health Service has denied him a sightsaving drug.
Patrick Reyre, 84, has wet age-related macular degeneration and will lose his sight without rapid treatment.
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The drug, Macugen, has been used on the NHS in Scotland and in Europe, but is yet to be approved for England.
Until then, it is up to trusts to decide whether to use it.
Mr Reyre's GP and eye specialist both recommended an immediate £4,000 course of Macugen, but Somerset Primary Care Trust refused to pay.
Now the retired flying officer, who is registered disabled and lives on £155 a week, has drained his funeral savings to pay for the drug himself.
Father-of-three Mr Reyre said: "I feel very disillusioned about this. I'm an active person and totally healthy apart from my eyes but this is turning my world black.
"My eyesight has got rapidly worse. Three months ago, I could read, write, watch television and cook myself a meal but I'm losing all my central vision.
"Modern Britain doesn't seem to care about war veterans. People think they can buy a poppy once a year then forget about us - but if they really cared, the NHS would be offering these drugs to people like me.
"I certainly don't have £4,000 just lying around. I've had to use the small amount of money that I had saved to pay for my funeral to pay for the treatment.
"People think they can buy a poppy then forget about veterans - but if they really cared, the NHS would offer these drugs to people like me."
A spokesman for Somerset PCT refused to comment.
Reader views (3)
This dump of a Government is gradually (without much opposition) turning the UK into a dump of a country via this type of horror story.
- Ted, Shetland Isles
Disgusting! If like people like Patrick hadn't risked their lives the sad people who made this decision may not even exist today. Is this how we show our gratitude to people who risk their lives on our behalf? If this is civilation we have to find something that works better. They pay for some people to have breast enlargements and sex changes but they can't pay to help stop someone from going blind.
- David Franklin, London UK
A land fit for heroes? Shame on the NHS official who has made this decision. If it was not for the likes of Patrick, who risked everything for us, who knows where we would be.
Somerset PCT decision makers need to look deep into their hearts, and do the right thing.
- Brian, Swindon
