DOCTORS in Scotland have been given the green light to prescribe a cancer treatment which was ruled out for NHS use south of the border.

The leukaemia drug was once available to some patients in Scotland, but after a detailed assessment of its effectiveness was published in England four years ago Scottish hospitals were advised not to give it out.

Now the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) have agreed the drug, dasatinib, can be offered to people suffering chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) after discussing new evidence on how well it works and negotiating the price.

CML is a rare from of leukaemia which progresses slowly over many years but causes symptoms such as tiredness and bone pain. It mostly affects adults over the age of 60 and around 466 people are living with the condition in Scotland.

Glasgow University's Professor Mhairi Copland, chair of a working group on CML, said: “The recommendation from the SMC is a significant milestone for Scottish patients fighting this blood cancer. If treated effectively, many people with this disease will have a normal life expectancy and it is therefore vital to have access to medicines that make this possible. Granting access to dasatinib opens a new door for patients; one that offers the chance for patients to live a normal life not dictated by their cancer or by their treatment."

Blair Mackenzie, from Glasgow, was given the treatment when it was previously available on the Scottish NHS and said it worked for him. The 31-year-old, an electrician and keen rugby player, said. "It made the leukaemia numbers drop off even further. I was more into remission than I was previously."

Zack Pemberton-Whitely, head of campaigns and advocacy for charity Leukaemia CARE, said: “A diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukaemia, a rare form of blood cancer, can have a huge impact on the lives of patients and families that are affected. Today’s decision means that patients will now have access to an effective and convenient treatment with potential to improve their daily lives."