CONCERNED Sandra Woodruff has hit out at the local Primary Care Trust for refusing to treat her husband with a drug freely available on the NHS because of alleged cost issues.

Sandra’s husband Adrian, 69, of Eldene, has a number of serious health issues.

He previously suffered a heart attack, mini stroke, quadruple heart by-pass, hypercholestrolaemia and has now been diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

For more than 10 years, he has taken a drug called ezetimibe to reduce his cholesterol levels. However, six months ago, Adrian, a patient at Lawn Medical Centre, was told he could no longer receive the drug, which is appraised by NICE for use on the NHS, because of guidance from NHS Swindon.

Sandra said: “I am absolutely dismayed at the decision to blanket ban a drug which is available on the NHS and I believe this decision may be unlawful.

“I am going to take this case to the highest level because I fear the people in this town are not receiving the medical care they are entitled to under the NHS Charter. There are probably a lot of older people walking around this town who are at risk because this drug has been taken away from them.”

Sandra said since her husband has had the drug withdrawn, his cholesterol levels have gone up 30 per cent from 3.8 to 4.75 when it should be under four at all times.

She said: “His cholesterol levels are now not at the level which NICE guidance recommends. The PCT have said they do not expect to reduce cholesterol levels in every member of the population who has hypercholesterolaemia.

“But in my husband’s case and probably in many others, his cholesterol was at an acceptable level and had been for many years while on this drug.”

The couple say they were told it was too costly to continue to provide the drug on the NHS but, after offering to pay for it, they have been written a one-month prescription pending a decision as to whether or not Adrian can have it free of charge.

Sandra said: “It would have cost us about £28 a month – it was only when I said we would pay for it that they wrote us a prescription.”

Medical director Dr Liz Mearns said ezetimibe is a drug which is sometimes used in addition to other treatments to reduce cholesterol levels in patients who have heart disease or stroke, or who are at risk of developing heart disease or stroke.

She said: “The effect of the drug on cholesterol levels is small and the effect on reducing overall risk of heart attack or stroke is smaller still. Any savings made in reducing prescribing costs of one drug would be used in providing other treatments for Swindon patients.

“NHS Swindon is reducing the usage of ezetimibe. It will continue to be used in individual cases where it provides clear benefits.

“A wide range of treatments are used to manage overall risk of heart attack and stroke in high risk groups.”

Prescribing of ezetimibe has continued to increase over the last five years. In the 12 months to June 2010, £76m was spent on it alone in primary care in England, with another £9m being spent on the combination product simvastatin with ezetimibe.