New NHS cancer drug is 'bittersweet' for widower

A man who lost his wife to breast cancer has described the drug which could have extended her life finally being made available on the NHS in England as "bittersweet".

Fionnuala Quinlan-Bennett, a primary school teacher from Crawley, West Sussex, died in June aged 32 after being told the disease had spread to her bones and liver.

Until this week, Enhertu - a treatment said to give patients additional months or even years - had been deemed too expensive by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

Fionnuala's husband, Nathan Bennett, said he was "extremely happy for all other women who'll be able to use it moving forward".

He admitted that hearing on Thursday that Enhertu had been made available made him "very emotional".

"Fionnuala campaigned for this drug during her illness, although she knew it would never be an option for her - that's heartbreaking," he said.

Nathan said that "extra time for dog walks, birthdays, seeing your parents grow old, your friends flourish and their children grow up" would have been "so, so important".

However, he added: "I think there's something really positive in this news for both Fionnuala and for us."

Enhertu is a combination of a targeted therapy drug called a monoclonal antibody and a chemotherapy drug called deruxtecan, according to Macmillan Cancer Support.

Doctors in Northern Ireland can also now prescribe it, in advance of the formal endorsement process, with Wales expected to follow shortly.

Women in Scotland have had access to Enhertu on the NHS since 2023, and it is available in 26 other European countries.

Charities and patients have campaigned for the drug to be more widely available since 2024, when NICE said it was not good value for money.

The reason the health body reversed its decision is largely because of a trade deal with the USA, in which the UK government agreed to spend 25% more on medicines.

Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE, said she was pleased a "commercial solution" meant the treatment could be made available on the NHS in England, but added she knew the decision came "too late for many families".

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