Prime Minister Andy Burnham has branded Scottish swimmer Archie Goodburn an "inspiration" after his efforts to improve brain cancer care for patients. The athlete made an emotional plea to Downing Street in a TV appearance earlier this year.
Goodburn, who was diagnosed with an oligodendroglioma - a rare type of brain or spinal cord tumour - when he was 22, met with Mr Burnham on Wednesday (October 14) after making his appeal for more action on brain tumours through a powerful plea on BBC Breakfast in August.
Government announces review and new national lead
In the wake of the meeting between Goodburn and Mr Burnham, the Government has announced a review of brain cancer progress since 2018 and promised action to get patients new treatments sooner. Officials also announced plans for a national brain cancer clinical lead.
Experts said that the measures mark a "generational shift in how brain tumours are seen and addressed in the UK". Goodburn, now 25, has been thanked for his "tireless efforts" in raising awareness of the disease.
Review to be led by Professor Anthony Chalmers
The review will be led by Professor Anthony Chalmers, who is chairman of clinical oncology at the University of Glasgow, and will assess progress that has been made in the sector since 2018 and highlight "what is still holding progress back". This will be followed by a national cancer plan with a view to get new treatments "out of the lab and to patients faster", Downing Street said.
No 10 also said that the Prime Minister has asked the medicines regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), to complete its review of the rules for medicines that treat rare conditions – known as orphan drugs – in two years rather than three, bringing forward any changes to these rules that could help patients get new treatments sooner.
Patients, families and charities to help design clinical trials drive
Officials said that patients, families and charities will also help design a drive to get more people onto clinical trials. Health Secretary Yvette Cooper, who also attended the meeting in Downing Street on Wednesday, will lead the drive.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast earlier this year, Goodburn described how trials around the world are not being seen in the UK which is "unfair and unjust".
After the meeting Mr Burnham said: "Archie is an inspiration to us all, and I am determined to deliver the change patients and their families deserve. He has spoken passionately about the need for change on brain cancer, and he’s right: progress hasn’t been good enough, here or anywhere else.
"Families facing this disease can’t afford to wait. That is why today we’re committing to appoint a dedicated national lead and setting out how we’ll get new treatments to patients faster.
"I strongly support this work and was delighted to welcome Archie to Downing Street to discuss it with him in person."
Ms Cooper added: "Archie has shown extraordinary courage in speaking out and fighting for everyone affected by brain cancer. We owe it to every family facing this devastating disease to do better. We’re acting to get more trials under way, new treatments to patients faster and make the UK a leader in tackling brain cancer."
Charities respond to the announcement
Commenting on the announcement, Dan Knowles, chief executive at Brain Tumour Research, said: "Government has seized the opportunity to place research at the heart of transforming outcomes for brain tumour patients. We are optimistic that this renewed focus will help ensure discoveries in the laboratory actually make it to patients who so desperately need more options.
"We thank Archie for his tireless efforts, as well as all those in the brain tumour community, to ensure those at the highest level of Government understand the devastating reality faced by brain tumour patients."
Dr Michele Afif, chief Executive of the Brain Tumour Charity, said: "The package of measures announced today represent a generational shift in how brain tumours are seen and addressed in the UK.
"They will build on the incredible work of many advocates, researchers, healthcare professionals and civil servants, who have long championed this change. This is a moment of real celebration and we want to thank Archie for his role in helping to deliver this."
Each year around 12,500 people are diagnosed with a brain tumour in the UK. Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under the age of 40.
Prof Chalmers said: "I’m deeply honoured and extremely excited to have this opportunity to help improve outcomes for patients with brain tumours through a properly resourced national initiative.
"The UK brain tumour community is blessed with outstanding researchers, clinicians and patient representatives but for too long has had insufficient resources and faced too many barriers.
"Today’s announcement offers genuine hope that we will be able to overcome these barriers and make the breakthroughs that our patients and their carers desperately need."
