New guidelines from the Academy of Royal Medical Colleges, which represents 24 Royal Colleges and other important health bodies, has been bluntly honest in its assessment of drugs used for palliative care in the UK.
Senior Medical Experts there have questioned whether the drugs bring any benefit at all saying ‘the drugs were unlikely to work’.
The damning report talked about ‘raising false hope’ and doing ‘more harm that good’.
Drug developers Cancer Research UK claim the thousands of people being given palliative drugs did benefit saying they ‘may’ extend lives and give people more time with their loved ones. The Medical Experts however doubted this was true saying it was only of ‘small’ benefit.
The organization wants Doctors to hold honest discussions with patients stressing the limitations on benefits and the truth about side-effects.
CANCERactive founder and former Oxford University Biochemist said, “These Senior Medical Experts are to be praised for their realism and honesty. They have first hand experience of palliative care. The last thing patients want is false hope, over promise, and a new round of debilitating side-effects. The Experts repeatedly talk about the toxic nature of the drugs. Perhaps more honesty is needed with patients in palliative care, that’s all”.