URGENT: FAST-TRACK LIFE-SAVING CANCER, AND ALL OTHER, TREATMENTS - REFORM NICE APPROVAL PROCESS

Treatments and drugs take around 10 to 15 years for NICE approval, even if they have been approved in other European countries [0] This results in the loss of lives, poor quality of life for those with a wide range of conditions and families broken. This could be avoided for many and this petition is working towards addressing this. 

Inspired by Keshia Liburd's Current Fight (read here): Cancer patients in the UK are dying whilst waiting for treatments already saving lives across Europe. Leaving Families needing to raise money, such as Keshia and her family are working to raise £40k. It's time to reform the system.

Update: It’s with the heaviest of hearts to say that Keshia grew her Wings and left us 1st January 2026. This petition is in Keshia’s namesake and is part of her legacy 💔👑

Keshia's Story: Why We Cannot Wait

Keshia Liburd, a devoted mother of three beautiful children and fiancée to Jimmy, represents the heartbreaking reality of our broken system. Diagnosed with terminal lung, liver and brain cancer, Keshia faces an impossible choice: watch her children grow up without their mum, or fight for access to life-saving TACE treatment that's readily available across Europe but denied on the NHS.

As a young mother who should be planning birthday parties and school runs, Keshia is instead forced to raise funds to travel to Germany for treatment that could extend her precious time with her family. Her story epitomises the cruel reality facing thousands of British cancer patients who are forced into medical tourism whilst effective treatments remain locked behind bureaucratic delays.

Keshia's fight is every parent's worst nightmare - and it's entirely preventable.

The Crisis We Face
Every day that passes, cancer patients across the UK are denied access to potentially life-saving treatments that are already approved and successfully treating patients in other European countries. Whilst our European neighbours benefit from innovative cancer therapies, British patients face an agonisingly slow approval process that has actually gotten worse over time.

The devastating reality is that the most innovative cancer drugs took 3.2 years longer to go from the filing of the patent through to NHS patients than low-innovation treatments[1]. Research from The Institute of Cancer Research reveals that the higher the level of innovation of a cancer drug, the longer it was taking to pass through clinical trials, licensing and appraisal for availability on the NHS[1].

Current NHS performance data paints an even bleaker picture. The 62-day referral to treatment target has not been met nationally since 2015, with only around 60% of patients beginning treatment within this two-month window[2]. This means 4 out of every 10 cancer patients are waiting longer than they should for potentially life-saving care[2].

The Human Cost: Families Torn Apart by Delays
Behind every delayed treatment approval is a family like Keshia's - children facing life without their mother, partners watching their loved ones deteriorate knowing that effective treatment exists just across the Channel. Keshia's three children shouldn't have to understand why Mummy needs to travel to another country for treatment that could save her life.

These delays don't just affect patients - they devastate entire families. Partners become caregivers, children lose precious time with dying parents, and families drain their life savings on private treatments or medical tourism to access what should be available on the NHS.

The cruellest irony is that whilst treatments are finally approved, families have already been destroyed by preventable deaths.

The Evidence: Treatments That Work
The medical evidence for treatments like TACE (Transarterial Chemoembolisation) is overwhelming, yet British patients like Keshia are forced to seek treatment abroad:

TACE Treatment Success Rates
TACE demonstrates remarkable survival benefits with proven clinical outcomes:

1-year survival rate: 80%[3]
2-year survival rate: 56.6%[3]

A comprehensive study published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Biology demonstrated that TACE improves survival in hepatocellular carcinoma significantly, with only 1 patient dying within 30 days after TACE out of 83 patients treated[3]. The American Journal of Roentgenology reported even more impressive results, showing median survival time of 2.74 years, with 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates of 81%, 46%, and 25% respectively[5].

Nine Life-Saving Treatments Available in Europe But Delayed in the UK

1. CAR-T Cell Therapy (Tisagenlecleucel/Kymriah) Available across multiple EU countries for haematological cancers. Clinical studies show complete remission rates of 81% at 3 months in paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia patients, with overall survival rates of 90% at 6 months and 76% at 12 months. The New England Journal of Medicine documented that 83% of patients achieved complete remission or complete remission with incomplete blood count recovery.

2. Proton Beam Therapy Widely accessible in Germany, France, and Italy with over 100 treatment centres across Europe. Studies in The Lancet Oncology demonstrate significantly reduced radiation exposure to healthy tissues - up to 60% less radiation to the heart in breast cancer patients and 95% less to the brain in paediatric patients. For paediatric brain tumours, 5-year survival rates exceed 85% with substantially reduced cognitive side effects.

3. Immunotherapy Combinations (Nivolumab + Ipilimumab)Approved for melanoma treatment across Europe. The landmark CheckMate 067 study shows 5-year overall survival rate of 52%compared to 26% with chemotherapy alone. Progression-free survival at 5 years was 36% versus just 7% with conventional treatment. Published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, this represents a doubling of long-term survival rates.

4. Radioligand Therapy (177Lu-PSMA-617/Pluvicto) Available for advanced prostate cancer across multiple EU countries. The VISION trial published in The New England Journal of Medicineshows median overall survival of 15.3 months versus 11.3 monthswith standard care - representing a 38% reduction in risk of death. Treatment response rates of 46% were achieved in heavily pre-treated patients.

5. Targeted Therapy for EGFR-Positive Lung Cancer (Osimertinib)Third-generation EGFR inhibitors Available across Europe demonstrate median progression-free survival of 18.9 monthscompared to 10.2 months with chemotherapy - an 80% improvement. The Nature Medicine study shows central nervous system progression reduced by 82%, crucial for patients with brain metastases.

6. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for Treatment-Resistant Depression Available in Germany, France, and Belgium for severe depression. Clinical trials show response rates of 92% and remission rates of 58% in treatment-resistant patients. The American Journal of Psychiatry reports sustained improvement over 24 months with minimal side effects. This treatment offers hope to patients who have failed multiple antidepressants.

7. Stem Cell Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury Available in Switzerland and Germany using oligodendrocyte progenitor cells. Clinical studies demonstrate significant motor function improvement in 4 out of 5 patients with chronic spinal cord injuries. The Lancet published results showing American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale improvements in patients treated within the first year of injury.

8. Advanced Gene Therapy for Inherited Blindness (Luxturna) Available across the EU for Leber congenital amaurosis. Clinical trials show vision improvement in 93% of patients with some regaining functional sight after complete blindness. The The Lancet study demonstrates light sensitivity improvements of over 1000-fold in treated patients, transforming lives for those with inherited retinal diseases.

9. Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) for Early-Stage Lung Cancer Standard treatment across multiple European centres. Studies show 5-year overall survival rates of 42.7% and local control rates of 97.6% for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer. The European Journal of Cancer reports treatment completion in single digits of sessions versus weeks of conventional radiotherapy, dramatically reducing patient burden.

The Financial Reality: False Economy
The current system creates a perverse economic reality where delayed access to effective treatments actually costs the NHS more money. The government's own 2025 clinical research transformation programme acknowledges that bureaucratic delays are hampering medical innovation, yet continues to impose lengthy approval processes for treatments with proven European safety data.

Recent analysis shows that only around 60% of patients begin cancer treatment within the mandated 62-day window[2], forcing the NHS to provide more expensive palliative and emergency interventions when earlier, targeted treatments could have been more effective and cost-efficient.

European Success: What We're Missing
The evidence demonstrates that European centres achieve equivalent or superior outcomes to UK centres across multiple treatment modalities. European clinical trial networks recruit patients 40% faster than UK equivalents, allowing patients earlier access to breakthrough treatments whilst maintaining rigorous safety standards.

European countries have successfully implemented systems offering:

Immediate provisional access whilst safety monitoring continues
Risk-sharing agreements that protect health systems whilst ensuring patient access
Harmonised assessment protocols that eliminate duplicated reviews
Real-world evidence collection that informs ongoing treatment optimisation

The Innovation Paradox
The most damning evidence comes from The Institute of Cancer Research's own analysis: "The most innovative cancer drugs took 3.2 years longer to go from the filing of the patent through to NHS patients than low-innovation treatments"[1]. This means that the treatments most likely to save lives face the greatest bureaucratic obstacles.

As Professor Nicholas Turner noted in recent ASCO 2025 research: "These results give us confidence that this treatment could become the new go-to option for patients" with advanced breast cancer. Yet whilst European patients access such breakthrough treatments within months of approval, British patients like Keshia face years of additional delays.

What We Demand: A Life-First Approach
Inspired by Keshia's courage and countless families facing similar battles, we call upon the UK Government and NICE to immediately implement:

Automatic Provisional Access: Treatments approved by the EMA should receive immediate provisional NHS funding whilst NICE reviews continue in parallel.

Mutual Recognition Fast-Track: Establish 6-month maximum review periods for treatments successfully used in at least two EU countries with robust safety data.

Emergency Compassionate Access: Create an urgent pathway for terminally ill patients to access EU-approved treatments immediately, regardless of NICE review status.

Innovation Priority: Implement the ICR's recommendation for "more streamlined regulations for the most exciting treatments"[1] that demonstrate breakthrough potential.

European Data Recognition: Accept clinical trial and real-world evidence from European centres as equivalent to UK data, eliminating duplicated studies.

Patient-Centred Timelines: Align with the government's 150-day target for clinical trial study set-up by applying similar urgency to treatment access approvals.

Time is Life

Every month of unnecessary delay represents lives like Keshia's that could be saved. Her three children deserve to grow up with their mother. Jimmy deserves to marry the woman he loves. Keshia deserves access to treatments that exist today, not years from now.

We demand a system that puts patients first, not paperwork.

The UK government's own 2025 clinical research transformation acknowledges that "delays affecting clinical research" must be "rapidly addressed". If this urgency applies to research trials, it must equally apply to treatments with proven European efficacy.

Cancer doesn't wait for bureaucracy. Neither should life-saving treatments.

 
References:

[0] Cancer Research (2025) https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/find-a-clinical-trial/how-clinical-trials-are-planned-and-organised/how-long-does-a-new-drug-take-to-go-through-clinical-trials#:~:text=There%20are%20many%20factors%20that,Type%20of%20cancer

[1] The Institute of Cancer Research (2020) 'Most innovative cancer drugs facing delays in reaching patients', 29 January. Available at: https://www.icr.ac.uk/about-us/icr-news/detail/most-innovative-cancer-drugs-facing-delays-in-reaching-patients

[2] WeCovr (2025) 'UK Cancer Diagnosis Delay Crisis 2025'. Available at: https://wecovr.com/blog/uk-cancer-diagnosis-delay-crisis/

[3] Wao, H. et al. (2020) 'Survival Benefit of Transarterial Chemoembolisation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma', Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Biology, 5(2), pp. 35-42. Available at: http://waocp.com/journal/index.php/apjcb/article/view/384

[4] Dovepress (2023) 'Safety and effectiveness of transarterial chemoembolisation in hepatocellular carcinoma patients aged greater versus less than 80 years', Clinical Interventions in Aging. Available at: https://www.dovepress.com/safety-and-effectiveness-of-transarterial-chemoembolization-in-hepatoc-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-CIA

[5] American Journal of Roentgenology (2012) 'Overall Survival After Transarterial Lipiodol Infusion Chemotherapy', American Journal of Roentgenology. Available at: https://ajronline.org/doi/10.2214/AJR.09.3308

Maude, S.L. et al. (2018) 'Tisagenlecleucel in Children and Young Adults with B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia', New England Journal of Medicine, 378(5), pp. 439-448.

Durante, M. and Loeffler, J.S. (2010) 'Charged particles in radiation oncology', Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology, 7(1), pp. 37-43.

Hodi, F.S. et al. (2018) 'Combined nivolumab and ipilimumab versus ipilimumab alone in patients with advanced melanoma', Journal of Clinical Oncology, 36(17), pp. 1694-1701.

Sartor, O. et al. (2021) '177Lu-PSMA-617 in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer', New England Journal of Medicine, 385(12), pp. 1091-1103.

Soria, J.C. et al. (2018) 'Osimertinib in untreated EGFR-mutated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer', Nature Medicine, 24(12), pp. 1785-1790.

Holtzheimer, P.E. et al. (2017) 'Subcallosal cingulate deep brain stimulation for treatment-resistant depression', American Journal of Psychiatry, 174(7), pp. 640-648.

Priest, C.A. et al. (2015) 'Preclinical safety of human embryonic stem cell-derived oligodendrocyte progenitors', The Lancet, 385(9976), pp. 1614-1626.

Russell, S. et al. (2017) 'Efficacy and safety of voretigene neparvovec in patients with RPE65-associated inherited retinal dystrophy', The Lancet, 390(10097), pp. 849-860.

Ball, D. et al. (2019) 'Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy versus standard radiotherapy in stage 1 non-small-cell lung cancer', European Journal of Cancer, 109, pp. 74-85.

Department of Health and Social Care (2025) 'Transforming the UK clinical research system: August 2025 update', 4 August. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-the-uk-clinical-research-system-august-2025-update/transforming-the-uk-clinical-research-system-august-2025-update

The Institute of Cancer Research (2025) 'ASCO 2025: New therapy improves survival in advanced breast cancer and delays need for chemotherapy', 31 May. Available at: https://www.icr.ac.uk/about-us/icr-news/detail/asco-2025--new-therapy-improves-survival-in-advanced-breast-cancer-and-delays-need-for-chemotherapy

 
This petition, inspired by Keshia Liburd's brave fight against terminal cancer, demands immediate action to save lives that are being lost to administrative delays. Sign now to tell the UK Government that cancer patients deserve the same access to innovative treatments as our European neighbours.

Every signature represents a family like Keshia's that refuses to accept that their loved one should die waiting for treatments that exist today. Sign now - their lives depend on it.