MPS FROM across the political spectrum signed a letter in support of Health Minister Karin Smyth MP, urging immediate action to tackle the worsening shortage of Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy (PERT).
PERT is a vital medication which 61,000 people across the UK living with pancreatic cancer and other serious conditions rely on.
It enables patients to properly digest food, maintain a healthy weight, and access potentially life-saving treatments. Without it, patients face the risk of severe malnutrition, avoidable suffering, and in some cases, premature death.
Redditch MP Chris Bloore and his Parliamentary colleagues, supported by the charity Pancreatic Cancer UK, are calling for the Government to take decisive action to end the crisis.
He said: “For people living with pancreatic cancer, access to PERT isn’t optional – it’s essential.
“These ongoing shortages are causing unbearable distress to patients and families.
“Pancreatic cancer is already one of the most aggressive and deadly forms of the disease and we cannot allow delays in treatment due to medication shortages.
“The Government must act urgently and decisively.
“This is about giving people dignity in their final months – and for many, a fighting chance to live longer.”
Despite some efforts by the sole manufacturer, the shortage of raw materials and limited production capacity mean the crisis is expected to continue unless government leadership steps in.
Pancreatic Cancer UK warns that, without urgent intervention, as many as 50,000 lives could be lost to pancreatic cancer during the current Parliament.
Mr Bloore has accepted an invitation from Pancreatic Cancer UK to meet and discuss the impact of the shortages on local patients and to explore how he can further support efforts to improve early diagnosis, access to treatment and investment in research.
