Should patients be allowed to purchase the treatment they want? UK

In the UK, some believe that patients should be allowed to purchase any treatments that they want. This policy shift is debated between two experts in an article published on BMJ.com.

The motivation for debate comes from a recent ruling regarding the Alzheimer's drug Aricept. It is one of several decisions made by the National Health Service (NHS) to not fund certain treatments, and it is a decision that has been passionately disputed. Many argue that patients should in fact be allowed to purchase treatments privately instead of being without them.

James Gubb, director of the health unit at Civitas (an independent social policy think tank), says that the practice of supplementing NHS treatment with private care is already widespread. As the NHS budget tightens and it cannot cover the medical needs and wants of the people, he believes, the practice will become even more common.

Gubb finds issue in the fact that these so-called "top-ups" have been ad hoc, exclusive, more expensive than necessary. They are also not in line with the purpose of the NHS: equal-access health care based on equal need. He suggests the creation of an equitable framework that mandates affordable fees for these top-ups…