Has anyone encountered any UK doctors who are prepared to countenance / discuss the use of repurposed drugs (i.e. drugs that have medical authorisation for treating other conditions and may or may not be off-patent) for cancer treatments? I have a close relation for whom the NHS has basically said "that's it; you are too frail for chemo so all we can do is palliative." My own research (I am a professional researcher, but not normally in this field) indicates that several repurposed drugs might be worth exploring, but I need to find professionals who are open to the conversation. And fast.
I am thinking of medical professionals, working either in the NHS or privately, within government guidelines https://www.gov.uk/drug-safety-update/off-label-or-unlicensed-use-of-medicines-prescribers-responsibilities not anything more "offbeat." But the nature of this path, i.e. finding things that might be much cheaper than the new drugs that the pharma companies want to sell, may make it hard for professionals to speak out publicly.
I am NOT looking to discuss individual treatments and repurposed drugs themselves, here; rather I am looking for ways to contact doctors and researchers who believe they are an avenue worth exploring. The topic has become a little bit polarised in recent months because of one drug in particular, used for something else, and I do not want to the discussion to head down that rabbit hole...
Hello Tim anotherone
My name is Steph and I am part of the Community team here at Macmillan, I hope you don't mind me popping in here to offer a reply whilst you're waiting for members to offer any relevant experience.
I was so sorry to hear of everything you are going through with your relative, it sounds like it has been a difficult time for you all and we hope we can find some way of better supporting you. Following our experts response to your question in Ask a Nurse I totally appreciate that another reply from a member of staff was not what you hoped for.
Whilst we don't have the information you're asking for, I just wanted to make sure you have all the support that we can offer at the moment.
It is positive that you're looking at lots of different ways to support your relative with their diagnosis. Have you spoken to your relative about what kind of support they would like from you?
It's important that you have the right support in place for yourself as well. We have online information and support for anyone supporting someone with cancer including this section on emotional support for family and friends which might be helpful to have a read through.
You mentioned searching the internet for further information. We always recommend using trusted sources when you are looking for health information and support. For example, Macmillan is a trusted source of medical information because it is a participant in the Patient Information Forum’s ‘Trusted Information Creator’ programme (PIF TIC).
We know that there are a lot of stories online about cancer that can be hard to navigate. We understand that you have a research background, so might not feel you need further support with this, but in case it's helpful, Cancer Research UK published a guide on spotting health misinformation.
In case any of the information ties in with what you're looking for, you can find more information about alternative therapies here from Macmillan and information on alternative therapies from Cancer Research UK here.
Although I appreciate that this wasn't the response you were hoping for, I hope that you find it helpful.
Best wishes
