Breast Cancer Care: Open debate is needed

A "really good debate and investigation" is needed into how money can be most effectively spent in the NHS, Breast Cancer Care has said.

The charity's comments follow concerns raised by a leading cancer specialist that the £100 million spent on the breast cancer drug Herceptin in 2006 may not have been cost-effective.

Dr Peter Kirkbride told BBC Radio 4's The Investigation that about 500 patients had benefited at a cost of around £200,000 each, but if money for the drug had been spent on radiotherapy then it could have a dramatic effect.

Liz Carroll, Breast Cancer Care's head of clinical services, said there is "no easy answer" to the funding question.

"It's a really difficult situation. At Breast Cancer Care we talk to people from all over the country who are looking to get the treatment that they know will make a difference to them, but we also understand that people are delayed in having their radiotherapy," she told the Today programme.

"We do need a really good debate and investigation into how we can spend money more effectively in the health service, to make sure the most can be made of the money we've got."