NHS Devon will pay for a cancer patient's course of treatment in
Germany.
The body said applications for such funding are being considered
in the light of the Government's decision to provide extra money
for some cancer drugs if they were recommended by a patient's
doctor.
Ron Bonfield, 71, of Frithelstockstone, near Torrington, suffers
from
asbestos-related
mesothelioma cancer of the lung lining.
He was diagnosed 18 months ago and has spent more than £20,000
on therapy himself in Germany.
NHS Devon ruled Mr Bonfield had gained clinical benefit from the
chemoembolisation treatment, which is not approved in the UK for
this disease and involves injecting drugs straight into a
tumour.
The NHS will fund Mr Bonfield's final round of the treatment,
which came as welcome news to the patient, who said he is
"struggling" to finance the trip to Germany himself.
He said: "I'd have to go to the family and start asking them,
embarrassingly, to help me out."