My father who sadly died from his lung cancer a month ago wrote his NHS Oncology Consultant a large cheque in his final weeks for a US-based cell test to determine if he was appropriate for an experimental treatment.
This test for suitability was 2 thousand pounds and the test results came back showing he was not eligible. He had previously been told by the same doctor he was unlikely to be accepted on any trial due to the advanced stage of the cancer and his overall energy levels.
This consultant had been on a 2 year journey with my dad who was diagnosed at stage 4 and given various treatments with the NHS - a lobectomy, chemo and immunotherapy. The cancer was held off for a while but at the time of this last ditch offer he was in the final stages of his battle and the cancer was spreading very fast and he was weak from all the treatment and on oxygen.
I struggle to see how this doctor behaved ethically given that this was costly and unlikely to yield results. My family and I wonder whether this is normal behavior and whether to make a formal complaint against him to avoid other families parting with money like this when vulnerable and desperate.
Has anyone been in a similar situation or have you encountered this before?
Hi ElmPearl I am really sorry to hear about the loss of your dad. Losing a parent is very hard.
My question would be, how much discussion was there between your dad and his consultant. Was this a case of your dad saying, well I will try it anyway even if it doesn’t work? Especially as the consultant had previously said he didn’t think your dad would be accepted onto a trial.
You could contact the PALS department at your dads hospital, who could investigate what did happen, and why the consultant thought it was a good idea to give this a try. If you search PALS online there is a link that will help you contact your nearest office.
