Health experts have rejected Government proposals that would see an assessment of the benefits a patient may have on society being taken into account when deciding whether to pay for new drugs.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) dismissed the plans by ministers, that would see patients who contribute to the economy being given priority, according to The Times.

The head of NICE, Sir Andrew Dillon, told the newspaper that such an approach would leave the old more vulnerable, as younger patients would be seen as having more to gain from treatment, as they could put more back into society.

What we don't want to say is those 10 years you have between 70 and 80, although clearly you are not going to be working, are not going to be valuable to somebody.

Clearly they are. You might be doing all sorts of very useful things for your family or local society. That's what we are worried about and that's the problem with the Department of Health's calculation.

There are lots of people who adopt the fair-innings approach; 'you've had 70 years of life you've got to accept that society is going to bias its investments in younger people.

– SIR ANDREW DILLON, HEAD OF NICE

Sir Andrew Dillon. Credit: PA Wire
NICE give independent advice and guidance to the NHS, along with local authorities, charities and organisations who have the ability to commission or provide healthcare, public health or social care services.

They approve drugs which cost less than £20,000 to give a year of good-quality life.

Sir Andrew wants a similar formula to assess how a patient's quality of life is affected by illness, and then use it to estimate the social benefit of a treatment that could return them to full health.

David Cameron's official spokesman said that the Government had been very clear that there would be no age discrimination in relation to the matter.

The key point to underline here is that last year, in October 2013, the Government very clearly introduced an age discrimination ban under the Equalities Act 2010 when it comes to entitlement for treatment.

We have been very clear that there will not be any discrimination in this regard.

It is very clear that, when it comes to treatments that are made available through Nice, there shouldn't be and won't be any discrimination that might disadvantage any particular group.

– SPOKESMAN FOR PRIME MINISTER DAVID CAMERON
The Department of Health say that they have asked NICE to look at the way drugs are currently assessed so that patients can get the treatments they need at the best value of the NHS.

We want to make sure we get the best possible results for all NHS patients with the resources we have, which means using taxpayers' money responsibly and getting good value for money.

That's why we have asked Nice to look at the way drugs are assessed so that patients can get the treatments they need at the best value for the NHS and the price the NHS pays is more closely linked to the value a medicine brings.

We understand that it's an important and complex issue on which many people will have views and Nice will be consulting widely on the proposals.

– SPOKESPERSON, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Users of the ITV News Facebook page were asked what should be the primary concern when it comes to administering drugs:

Dannie Hanlon: The fact that this has even been considered makes me furious. It goes against everything the NHS stands for!

Kath Gwynn: It is shocking how the elderly are being made to pay over and over again after working hard all their lives. They now deserve us to care for them after all they cared for us.

Bobby Presley: Quality of life has to be the highest priority.

Karen Roebuck: A slippery slope. No one should have a right to say who is contributing to society or who has contributed more than another?

If there really are 'lot's of people' who adopt such a view and this isn't just an approach shared by state controllers, I dread to think how far this could go.

If there really are 'lot's of people' who adopt such a view and this isn't just an approach shared by state controllers, I dread to think how far this could go.

Anita Johnson Everyoe has a right to quality of life & MOST elderly have paid more into the system than any of us, so they should get what they are entitled to.
Like · Reply · 27 · Yesterday at 12:16

Nikki Hughes quality of life is priority but also these people have worked hard and paid into the nhs for many years and should be entitled to get the help they want
Like · Reply · 23 · Yesterday at 12:12
2 Replies · 7 hours ago

Ian Huggan Over a certain age when they have decided you are not worth it,you should be given a loaded gun to shoot the next politician knocking on your door looking for your vote
Like · Reply · 11 · Yesterday at 12:20

Sammie Engleby Quality of life without a shadow of a doubt .. Since when should we judge on whether a person is a benefit to society.?The NHS has a moral obligation to treat regardless of age,race,gender etc and the Government should stop playing God with people's lives under the shadow of saving money.The Government are totally wrong on this and this proposal is discriminating and morally wrong.
Like · Reply · 11 · Yesterday at 12:18

Val Walton This is appalling!
The government want to cull the elderly and we know they're already making life impossible for the sick and disabled so we'll be next.
Hitler had nothing on this lot!
Like · Reply · 10 · Yesterday at 12:32

Nikki Arnold Quality of life.
This is an idea from those who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
Like · Reply · 10 · Yesterday at 12:14

Debra Anne Taylor Brilliantly put!
Like · Yesterday at 12:37
Chris Morris



Marg Morris If they want to save money..stop treating druggies.drunks and others who self inflict..they do have a choice..the elderly dont
Like · Reply · 9 · Yesterday at 12:27

Jenny McKinnon Agree strongly with NICE!! What else will this idiot government come up with! Scared to think about it!! ;-(((((
Like · Reply · 9 · Yesterday at 12:14

Pamela Cairns This government have got it all wrong. First they higher retirement age so people have to work longer, thus paying more tax, NI, etc while some younger people have never worked but they would get treatment over an older person. Total disrespect for this government.
Like · Reply · 8 · 21 hours ago

Veronique Morris So the elderly fight for this country so we don't have to speak German but this government wants to stop giving these precious individuals medication. I prayer no one votes for you idiots
Like · Reply · 8 · 21 hours ago

Stephen Michael Rock People pay national insurance and have a right to treatment and who is to say whether they are useful to society is a retired doctor or scientist more useful than the factory worker whose grandchildren and children love him! how dare rich officials decides on who lives or dies do they think they are God now!
Like · Reply · 8 · 21 hours ago

Pat Grant Quality of life.
All doctors swear the Hippocratic Oath to preserve life, which includes the quality of it. Plus the older generation have paid more taxes & more National Insurance than others, so why should they be treated like 'Second Class Citizens' ?
Like · Reply · 8 · 23 hours ago

Brenda Salmon At least the NICE got this right in rejecting this Government's elitist attitude to people. Life is a human right not something that depends on the bank balance and profits. This smacks of creating a super race. We got rid of Hitler for doing things like that.
Like · Reply · 8 · Yesterday at 13:06

Dannie Hanlon The fact that this has even been considered makes me furious. It goes against everything the NHS stands for! And who determines an individual's contribution to society?! I imagine if you asked the people then David Cameron would be bottom of the pile for being treated!
Like · Reply · 8 · Yesterday at 12:33

Martin Tyrrell In the not so distant future the state will cull the sick the disable and the old as soon as you cost more than you put in you will be put down just in the same way a pet is put asleep by a vet the state no longer values people we all have a net worth you don't have to look too far the way honest people who by no fault of there own end up on benefits are hated but the rich that rob billions in unpaid taxes make all the choices on how this country is run what ever happened to one person one vote
Like · Reply · 8 · Yesterday at 12:25

Lisa Daniels Savage Who the hell are they to decide who gets better medical treatment if the issue is money lets see stop helping drugs addicts free of charge stop helping alcoholics free of charge its not rocket science look after your own people before immigrants biggest problem then solved and money saved british have to pay for medical treatment in other countries why should those same countries get free medical here
Like · Reply · 7 · 22 hours ago

Gail Richard The elderly have 'already paid in' to the system, it is their payments that we are benefiting from now. I am paying in to a system that should benefit anyone who needs it, no matter what their age, creed, disability etc etc. The people of this country need to stand together to bring down this type of abusive treatment from this government. They line their own pockets and steal from the workers of this country.
Like · Reply · 7 · Yesterday at 14:28

Sarah Fox-Moore All I can say is....Logan's Run!
Like · Reply · 6 · 20 hours ago

Gerard Matthews Quality of life no matter how old or young you are!
Like · Reply · 6 · 20 hours ago

James Alexander Cargill THIS GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO EMULATE HITLER
Like · Reply · 6 · Yesterday at 13:14

Amy Shelbourne Wow lets kill off the poor old british people who have spent their lives fighting for this country! Sorry we cant afford u to live anymore we need the money for the hundres of.thousands of for overseaers we want here haha what a discusting disgrace
Like · Reply · 6 · Yesterday at 13:10

John Parrish Once again shame on this government
Like · Reply · 6 · Yesterday at 13:01

Karen Roebuck A slippery slope. No one should have a right to say who is contributing to society or who has contributed more than another? This country is fast becoming a place I will be ashamed to say is home.
Like · Reply · 6 · Yesterday at 12:24

Clare Aston so who decides on whether a person benefits society ? this is disgusting
Like · Reply · 5 · 21 hours ago

Kath Gwynn It is shocking how the elderly are being made to pay over and over again after working hard all their lives ....they now deserve us to care for them after all they cared for us....x
Like · Reply · 5 · Yesterday at 13:34

Martin Jenkins All people are equal, whether you're 25 or 75. If we had a private health care system like the US, we wouldn't be having this conversation because we'd all be covered on our own personal insurance plans & getting whatever treatment we needed regardless of "wider societal impact". The state system in the UK should be NO DIFFERENT. If you've worked all your life and paid into the NHS, you should get WHATEVER drug you need, WHENEVER you need it, just like private insurance, because that's the system WE have. When it comes to "quality of life", it's not for someone else to decide - it should be the patient's decision ...It's their life!
Like · Reply · 5 · Yesterday at 12:31

Beverly Rees I agree but I also believe (having lived 30 years in Australia where they have excellent private & public medical services) that what really needs to happen is for people who earn say over £100,00 per annum to be required to have private health insurance so that thy don't contribute to the drain on the NHS. Likewise anyone wanting to settle in UK from another country, should have to pay a years worth of NHS contributions up front. Something just has to change soon or we'll have no NHS left & we'll be back to pre WW2 conditions of only the rich being able to afford a doctor!
Like · 4 · Yesterday at 12:53 · Edited

Damion Royce If we had a private health insurance like America this indeed wouldn't be an issue. Those who are wealthy get to be treated, those aren't, die. That is PRECISELY what our parasitical politicians would like to introduce. Less call on the public purse and plenty of healthy backhanders from the insurance and private healthcare industries.
Like · 2 · Yesterday at 12:57
Chris Morris



Lisa Hamilton Quality of life there should be no issues with cost of medicines
Like · Reply · 5 · Yesterday at 12:16

Paula Hall Its discrimination to choose based on an individual's contribution to society. IIlness and quality of life should be primary factors
Like · Reply · 5 · Yesterday at 12:14

Linda Powell DISGUSTING!!!! Most elderly people have helped get this country through two world wars! They have also worked hard all their lives, paid Nat Ins and Income Tax!!! And even if they haven't... simply as human beings they are as entitled as everybody else to quality of life!!! There are more than enough people coming into this country with NOTHING, who've done NOTHING and they are getting EVERYTHING they want let alone need!!!...UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!!
Like · Reply · 4 · 18 hours ago

Samantha Hart What has this world come to where our government would rather see people suffer just because they aren't young enough etc makes me sick!!
Like · Reply · 4 · Yesterday at 12:15 · Edited

Joanne Goundry I don't want rich people having access to the nhs.
Like · Reply · 4 · Yesterday at 12:11

Bobby Presley Quality of life has to be the highest priority.
Like · Reply · 8 · Yesterday at 12:08

Cordelia Frances Threapleton If worked most of 20 years got took I'll had a number of operations and now can barely walk I carnt go anywhere unless somebody is with me I take 15 tabs aday I pay for my meds my hubby as worked in same job 20 years now we get no help why if iv to take meds to help me and iv been told I must stay on them rest of my life why do I have to pay for them its long term its not going to go away the system is all wrong
Like · Reply · 3 · 20 hours ago

Debra Anne Taylor I say a crime on society is murder, rape, killing children abuse, first degree crimes such as those that is my opinion x
Like · Reply · 3 · Yesterday at 13:19

Ziona Sharp Most of the elderly now have been hard working people that have paid into the system all their lives - why does government think they can just take from people and then say good riddance when they need help back - what they going to do start killing off people after a certain age cause they're a burden?!!! But all the EU can come here and get NHS help when they haven't paid a penny into the system?!!! We should take care of OUR elderly!!!
Like · Reply · 3 · Yesterday at 12:59

Pat Dowey Quality of Life should come first.
Like · Reply · 3 · Yesterday at 12:19

Heather McIntyre Without a certain quality of life you cant benefit society as most people feel to ill to work socialise etc.
Like · Reply · 3 · Yesterday at 12:15

Tracy Young So they get to a certain age, they've paid in to the NHS all of their lives, then when they get past it they have to move over for a younger generation??
Like · Reply · 3 · Yesterday at 12:15

Patricia Owens Quality of life, without a doubt ,u can't put a price on life ,every life is precious ! Human or animal !
Like · Reply · 3 · Yesterday at 12:15

Karen Hopwood absolutely not!!! if we deny the elderly, are we going to deny babies because we dont know their potential? Or the disabled? Nazi idea.
Like · Reply · 2 · 9 hours ago

Diane Widger Quality of life ....we all might need it someday!
Like · Reply · 2 · 19 hours ago

Sue Cook Really? Get a life!
Like · Reply · 2 · 22 hours ago

Cheryl Kennedy Disgusting!
Like · Reply · 2 · 22 hours ago

Mally Gordon Quality of life is priceless nuff said
Like · Reply · 2 · Yesterday at 18:01

Lisa Hellewell My dad has worked all his life and at 64 needs life saving brain surgery but has to wait because of nhs funding DO NOT GET ME SRARTED !!!!!
Like · Reply · 2 · Yesterday at 17:18

Pauline Parker Why don't they just put us all down when we reach 60, that would save the so called government a few bob. No free prescriptions, no free bus passes, no free eye tests, me I'm 65 in a few weeks so I wouldn't be here now. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Like · Reply · 2 · Yesterday at 13:44

Serendipity Tipidneres No one has a right to decide whose life has more value or merit. In the eyes of God i believe that the most disabled of people would have more value than many so called contributors to society. We risk going down the path of Nazi Germany with this where disabled people were euthanized.
Like · Reply · 2 · Yesterday at 13:04

Elaine Headlam Definitely quality of life for everyone. It's people we're talking about NOT commodities like the govt treat everyone.
Like · Reply · 2 · Yesterday at 12:39

Richard William Frost Sad sad world that this even needs to be asked...
Like · Reply · 2 · Yesterday at 12:30

Marg Morris Everybody gets old if theyre lucky enough..everybody whether they be old or young have the right to medication and medical treatment..when you reach a certain age you dont become a different a different person..still have feelings same as anybody else...who has the right to judge who will get treatment or not and cause another person to lose their life through purposely withholding treatment. .this country and those who dream these ideas up really are the pits
Like · Reply · 2 · Yesterday at 12:24

Llowri Jones Shouldn't it b patient choice, they should b given all options and benefits etc and hav choice, it is the people who pay for it nationally not England/wales/Scotland/Ireland shouldn't matter where u liv either everyone is not equal in NHS nor society and should be!
Like · Reply · 2 · Yesterday at 12:21

Rita Cotton Sharples This post is scary for the older generation.everyone is going to get old and should expect care and respect not worry if I am I'll am I going to get the treatment I deserve .